Scars of a Caged Bird
by Zelda-Princess-of-Time
Summary: Link grew up his whole life believing that he was the Prince of the Gerudo. His whole life changes, however, when he is put in charge of deciding a young - very important - woman's fate. Zelink AU
1. Prologue

**All rights go to Nintendo, and all rights on the plot go to me.**

 **This is inspired by Zelink Week's 3** **rd** **day prompt: Scars. Once I started writing, I couldn't stop, so this will be a multi-chapter story. All rights go to Nintendo; however, the plot is mine. Hope you enjoy, and if you feel so inclined, please drop a review down below! And just FYI, I'd appreciate it if there were no flames... Thanks! :)**

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"Link! Get over here!" my dad, king of the Gerudo, commanded gruffly. His arms were crossed, and he stood near his large throne in a commanding stance.

I hurried to the front and stood next to my father. "Yes, Father?" I asked. I was confused as my father motioned ahead of us. A girl that seemed to be around my age struggled as she was brought into the room. She was thrown to the ground and stubbornly refused to look at either me or my father.

"I think it's about time that you've gotten a lesson in deciding a criminal's fate," my father stated, motioning at the girl on the ground. His gaze hardened at the girl.

"But, Father – She's a girl!" I exclaimed. "She can't be even older than me!" My heart was moved, oddly enough, and I felt a wave of compassion wash over me.

"A dangerous one," my father added. "She's the Princess of Hyrule and is trained in the art of warfare. She could be a very great threat to our people if left alive. She must die."

The girl kept her gaze on the ground, but I could have sworn that she had muttered something.

"Did you say something, prisoner?" my father asked, his voice bordering what I liked to call "the point of no return". Once my father reached this point, there was no stopping him – He would go off on you if you didn't apologize ASAP. And even then, he would still go off on you…

The girl finally raised her eyes and looked at us levelly. She intrigued me. Her eyes were a bright blue – like mine. I had never before seen someone like me – someone with blue eyes and blonde hair. She lifted a chained hand to tuck a strand of dirty blonde hair behind her ear. Her dress was tattered and torn, but she still looked the part of a princess. "You will never get away with this, Ganondorf," she stated softly, glaring at my father.

Her arms were covered with bruises, and scratches painted her face. Her lips were set in a determined line, and she held her head high. "You will never get away with this treason, Ganondorf," she repeated. Her voice never wavered, and her steady gaze at my father never broke.

"What do you think, son? Worthy of the death penalty for her insolence, isn't she?" my father asked, directing his glare at the Princess.

"You will never get away with this, Ganondorf – You have betrayed Hyrule for the darkness of your own heart," the Princess declared. "You have committed every possible crime, including the fact that you lie to this Hylian. He has grown up thinking that he is your son with simply a Hylian mother – But he is not. You kidnapped him from his parents! How is that honest? How is that right?"

The Princess's words rang throughout my mind, and I thought about what she had actually said – Was she talking about me? And if she was talking about me, was I really not my father's son? Had he really been lying to me all these years? But – no. Why would I listen to this girl I had just met – the prisoner – the accuser of my father – But something deep inside of me cautioned me to listen to her. That somehow she was right… But she couldn't be. She was the prisoner!

"How about it, son? She's accusing me of lying to you for all these years!" my father exclaimed. "You are in charge of her fate, Link. Decide."

My breath hitched in my throat – To be the decider of someone's fate – a girl's fate – the Princess's, no less! That was unthinkable. I couldn't let her die, even if it meant risking, my father, the Gerudo king's wrath.

"Father," I began. I felt both the gazes of my father and the Princess on me. Her blue eyes bore into mine. "Let her live. I will be held personally responsible for her."

"What?!" my father exclaimed. "No, son! You need to sentence her to her death!"

"I – I can't," I stated simply. I extended my hand toward the Princess, however she didn't accept. She stayed on the floor, but her gaze remained on me.

"You – You – cucco," my father growled. His amber eyes were flaming with rage, and I was taken slightly aback. I hadn't expected for him to be _this_ mad. "Do you expect me to let her get away with her audacious words toward me?!"

"Father," I began, my voice calm. "Please – I will keep her under my care until she is returned to Hyrule Castle." My father glowered in my direction, but I instead directed my attention to the girl. "Please, come with me," I requested.

She wordlessly stood with her head held high, obeying my command. I motioned to her, and she followed me, away from my frightening father. We walked down the halls of Gerudo Fortress. These halls were like connected balconies, and you could see the Desert.

I led her to an empty guest room that was just down the hall from my own room. I figured I would be able to make sure that she was well-cared for until she returned to the Castle. "This will be your room," I stated.

The girl simply sat on the bed, eyeing the chains that held her bound. I took this opportunity to fully examine her. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled into a messy braid, and her blue eyes flickered with anger, though I could tell there was a bit of sadness present. She looked as though she had been through a lot, and I guess she had if she had been in the dungeon.

"You want those off, don't you?" I questioned.

She nodded slowly and held her hands out to me trustingly. It was incredible as to how quickly I was able to earn her trust. She kept her eyes downcast. "Yes," she said. Her voice was soft and sweet. She didn't deserve this – She didn't deserve my father's wrath – She didn't deserve to be here – She didn't deserve any of this.

"I'm sorry," I stated as I used a key to open and remove her chains. I took her hands in my own, examining them. The chains had cut into her skin and drawn blood. I winced. It must have been painful. I then saw her arms. I took one look and could tell what they had done to her – They had whipped her.

There were many open wounds that covered her arms from the whiplashes, and I felt my heart wrench in two. She didn't deserve this. She didn't. Why was this happening? I then vowed to myself that I would make things up to her by taking her back home.

"Here, let me wash them," I offered, doing my best to keep my voice calm. Truth be told, I hated seeing anyone hurt, and the Princess of Hyrule was no exception. I wet piece of cloth with warm water and gently pressed it to her wounds. I then used several pieces of gauze to bandage her up, though I knew that there was close to no chance that those wounds wouldn't scar.

"Thank you," she stated. Her eyes remained dull, void of any emotion. She crossed her arms protectively and refused to look at me.

"Hey, I sure hope that you feel better. My dad can be kinda insensitive sometimes; he also enjoys executing anyone he believes to be a threat to the Gerudo," I answered.

She nodded wordlessly, before uncrossing her arms and beginning to fiddle with her hands. She seemed uncomfortable, and I wanted her to know that my father and I were two totally separate people. She remained silent for some time, and I had begun to think that I should just leave her alone. "I've dealt with him before," she replied, her voice so soft that I could barely hear her.

"What do you mean?" I questioned. She had dealt with my father before? What was she talking about? Then, her words to my father drifted back to my mind. "And what did you mean when you said that my father had been lying to me for all these years? My mother was a Hylian, yet she died before I was old enough to comprehend anything."

"No," the Princess responded. Her voice was so low that I had to strain in order to hear her. "My father once knew a man by the name of Reneer Adema. His wife, Kirstin, was expecting a child around the time my mother was also pregnant. Kirstin gave birth to a young baby boy – Link. Shortly after, my mother passed away during child birth, yet I was somehow saved. Kirstin and Reneer's son disappeared somewhere, and no one heard anything about him ever again.

"Reneer searched and searched for his missing son with a band of warriors from Hyrule Castle but could never find him. Years later, imagine my surprise when I get kidnapped by a group of Gerudo warriors, and I find out that the Gerudo prince's name is Link. Then I discover that he has blonde hair and blue eyes, which is highly unusual for a Gerudo – In fact, it's impossible. Then, the moment I laid eyes on you, I saw your father – Reneer Adema's blue eyes and your mother – Kirstin Adema's blonde hair. I then knew that you were my godparents' long lost son, living here in the Desert.

"Ganondorf has been lying to you for all these years," the Princess finished. That was the most she had said since she had gone off on my dad.

My eyes had clouded over with tears – I couldn't believe her – This was too far-fetched for me to believe. I wasn't my father's son? My father was a lying cheat that hadn't felt bad about hurting the Princess? My real parents were out there somewhere, waiting for me? This was too much…

"He's been lying to me?" I questioned, still trying to process what she had said. No – Not my dad.

"He has – I am not lying to you. I would never lie to you, Link," the Princess stated, calling me by name for the first time.

I knew that she wasn't lying to me; I could feel deep down that she was right. I now knew why I never fit in with the Gerudo – I wasn't a Gerudo. I was a full-blood Hylian. I was pleased with this news, but I did feel some anger and resentment toward my "father." I was also confused and saddened. I let my head drop into my hands.

This was truth – And it crushed me. I knew that this encounter with the Princess of Hyrule had left her with physical scars and me with emotional scars. What were we going to do?

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 **Total Word Count (Not including A/N):**

 **1,816**


	2. Chapter I

**Hey guys! Thanks so much for checking out this story! I'm so grateful for everyone that has read the prologue and now this new chapter. You guys are amazing! I can't believe I wrote this in 2 days, but I did. :) Consider it my Christmas gift to you all for being amazing readers – assuming of course, you celebrate Christmas. (I do.) Anyways… On to the story!**

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"Prince Link!" I heard a servant call. I rolled my eyes and jumped off my bed. I brushed past a barrier of silken scarves that served as curtains dividing my room, and then walked in the direction of the call.

"Yeah?" I responded. My boots thumped on the wooden floor. I was very different from the Gerudo, now that I thought about it. I had always favored my boots over the traditional sandals or curled-toe, silk slippers that most Gerudo wore. My clothes were loose, close to what the Gerudo typically wore, as it was extremely hot here in the Desert. I felt a breeze sweep through the corridor I was standing in and reveled in its coolness.

"Your father and Lady Nabooru are waiting in the dining lounge for the arrival of both you and your guest," the servant, Aziz, stated.

"Ah, thanks, Aziz," I answered with a nod. "And where might my guest be?" I questioned. I doubted that the Princess would know where the dining lounge was.

"I believe she is still in her quarters, preparing herself for dinner," Aziz replied, pointing down the hall at the Princess's rooms. I had neglected to mention that the quarters the Princess would be residing in had multiple rooms.

"Thanks again, Aziz," I responded, beginning to make my way down the hall to the Princess's quarters. I had just arrived at her door when she stepped out. She wore a flowing, orange silk dress, along with a saddened expression, and I immediately felt bad. In fact, I felt awful. I had to get her back to Hyrule Castle, but my father wouldn't let me.

He wanted her to stay here, as a hostage – a hostage under my care. Since I had refused to issue her execution, my father instead charged me with the Hyrulean Princess. Wow – Lucky me… "Good morning," I stated, offering my arm.

She merely nodded in return, without taking my extended arm. Her blue eyes remained dull, lacking life and emotion. I wanted to change that. If I couldn't take her back to her Castle, the least I could do was make her stay here as enjoyable as possible. I could offer her books and a tour of the Fortress, as well as give her activities to keep her occupied during her time here.

We walked down to the dining lounge where my father and Nabooru were waiting. Nabooru took care of all the weapons in the Fortress, as well as directed all missions beyond the Fortress's perimeter. I guess you could say that she was my father's right-hand man – er, woman, although she didn't exactly agree with everything my father did. And, now that I thought about it, neither did I.

"Hey, Link," Nabooru called from her chair directly next to my father. I also neglected to mention that I was an especial favorite when it came to Nabs – Yes, I called her Nabs, but only when my father wasn't around.

"Hey, Nabooru," I responded openly, not caring whether or not I was "informal" to those of "lesser rank."

"I see you've brought your charge, huh, Link?" Nabooru questioned with a glance directed at the Princess.

I pulled out the chair for the Princess, and she seated herself. I then pulled out my own chair and sat down as well. The Princess kept her stony gaze directed ahead, without acknowledging anyone's presence. "I suppose so," I shrugged noncommittally. I definitely couldn't have the girl thinking that she was a burden I didn't want around or else she would never tell me about my parents.

"Link," my father growled, formally recognizing my presence for the first time since I had walked into the room. I could tell that he was still angered that I had allowed the Princess to live. My father _hated_ disrespect, and he would do anything he had to to rid the Desert of it – even at the cost of someone's life.

"Yes, Father?" I responded, tilting my head in his direction.

"I will not tolerate any of that girl's insolence – And if I hear one more word, I will not hesitate to terminate her – Do you hear me?" my father, the King of all the Gerudo, stated. Whatever the situation in the Fortress, my father's words were final, and I would be a fool to contradict him – Which I wasn't going to – Because I was no fool.

"Yes, Father," I answered. I felt a twinge of guilt as I thought of those the Princess claimed to be my _real_ parents. Was I being disloyal to them by still loving my "father?" Although I didn't agree with everything he said or did, he still had raised me my entire life – Didn't that count for something? Would I ever meet my own parents?

I glanced at the Princess, hoping to see her reaction toward my father's no-nonsense threat. She still had her eyes downcast, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. The servants began bringing in our dinner, and I kept an eye on the girl.

Dinner was awkward, to say the least. My father seemed to be very upset, in one of his more vengeful moods, and I avoided conversation with him, aside from answering with monosyllables, as was my habit when he was in this mood. Nabooru spoke with my father, updating him on things going on in the Fortress, to which my father only nodded, with the occasional grunt here and there.

I was extremely thankful once dinner was over, and we were able to leave. I grabbed the Princess's arm and jerked her out of the dining lounge. We walked swiftly down the corridors, not caring whether or not the servants were watching.

"So, Princess," I began, glancing at the quiet girl beside me. "What do you like to do?" I asked, wanting to be cordial.

There was no response, though it wasn't a surprise. She merely kept her gaze straight ahead, not bothering to answer me. After several failed attempts at trying to get her to talk, I gave up. I would just have to give her some books or something. There was something holding her back from wanting to talk to me. I guess she had every right to not want to talk to me – I mean, I was the prince of the people that kidnapped her from her home. But, then again, I had saved her from my father's wrath and the death penalty.

"Good night," she stated; her voice broke the silence that had gripped the night air. The temperature had dropped drastically because, come on, we're in the Desert. She shivered slightly in her silk dress.

"You alright?" I questioned.

She nodded.

"Do you need anything?" I asked, wondering if I would ever hear her voice again anytime soon. She had barely spoken to me ever since her revelation of my true heritage, and that had been two days ago.

She shook her head, her blonde tresses bouncing somewhat.

"Alright – Then, good night," I answered, giving a small nod.

The Princess offered a nod in return, before entering her quarters and shutting the door behind her.

I sighed in relief. I hadn't made a complete fool of myself. I then thought about her. She was one brave girl and was definitely handling this whole situation better than I had anticipated. I guess I don't really know what I had been expecting – A spoiled princess that would throw a huge fit when my dad put her up for ransom? A girl that became my best friend from the start? A rebel that suddenly escaped from the Fortress? She wasn't any of those things, and I guess that's part of what made her so unique.

I walked back to my own room, pushing past the silk curtains that divided my bedroom in two. One half had my bed, and the other had pieces of furniture. That was the side I went to, heading straight to the crude wooden shelf that held all my books. It was a privilege to have this shelf and these books because we were in the Desert, and there aren't necessarily a ton of trees out here.

I picked several heavy volumes, editions to my collection given by Nabooru. I suspected that she had stolen them during a mission but didn't push the issue. I carried them with ease and made my way down the halls once more to the Princess's quarters. I did struggle, however, with knocking on the door.

I somehow managed to do so without dropping any of the books, and the door opened slightly, allowing a sliver of light to escape from the room. "Who is it?" a rather masculine voice asked.

I raised a brow, knowing that the Princess did _not_ sound like that. "It's Link."

"What is it?" a more feminine voice asked, and the Princess peeked behind the door.

"Can I come in?" I questioned, now curious.

"Sure," she nodded uneasily. She stepped aside, allowing me to enter her quarters.

I did a quick once-over of the rooms – No one besides me and the Princess was there. Hm, fishy… I set the books down in a stack on the floor. The Princess merely nodded in acknowledgement to my actions and stood by the door.

"You waiting for something?" I asked, grinning slightly. I refused to budge from where I was standing.

"Can you leave – Please?" the Princess asked, motioning toward the door.

"Sure," I responded, sauntering out the room. The Princess watched me "leave" and shut the door behind her. I then pressed my ear against the door and listened in.

"I don't want to be here," she whimpered.

"I know – I'll get you out of here – I promise. Good thing Dad or Arvid haven't noticed you're gone, though, or else they'd flip," the masculine voice responded.

Dad? What was he talking about – He couldn't be – No… She couldn't have a sibling – Could she?

"I know; I'm going to try to blend in here and integrate into the community. It might actually be a good learning experience for me," the Princess replied.

"I'm just worried about you, Zel," the voice stated.

"I know – I'm worried about _you_ with all your spying around – You're prone to get caught like that, you know," she answered.

"I'll be careful. Now – I have to go – We were almost caught by that Prince," the voice replied.

"OK, love you," the Princess whispered.

"Love you too, Sis," the voice responded. The room then went silent, aside from the sound of someone leaping from what I assumed to be the balcony.

I stepped away from the door and began to walk back to my room – That was weird… Really weird…

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"Good morning," I stated, as the Princess's door opened wide, revealing the girl herself. She was dressed in a blue and green silk dress that went down to her ankles, and her hair was brought into a high ponytail. I, myself, wore my traditional Gerudo garments, accompanied with my non-traditional brown boots.

"Good morning," the Princess responded. So far, it had been a month since the incident in her room. She had been opening up to me slightly, going so far as to greet me in the morning and chat throughout the day.

I was pleased with the progress we had made, but I wanted to be more than just someone to talk to throughout her day. I wanted to be her friend – her confidant – someone she could rely on. I extended my arm to her, which she accepted gratefully.

"How was your sleep?" I asked, glancing at her from my peripherals.

"It was restful," the Princess responded. "And you?" she asked.

"Great – I was helping out a bit in the fields, so I was pretty tired," I chuckled.

"I was out like a light as well," the Princess laughed – I looked at her in shock. I had never heard her laugh before, and it was beautiful. It was light, silvery, and cheerful. It filled me with a joy I had never know before, and that confused me. "What?" she asked, noticing my expression.

"I've never heard you laugh before," I stated, still in awe of her joyful laugh.

"Really? I suppose I was never in the best of moods – I mean, I'm here as a hostage, not on vacation," she laughed again.

"I suppose you're right," I agreed.

"But I believe that I'm starting to fit in here more, what say you?"

"You are; you really are," I agreed once more. It was true. The Princess had become friends with many of the Gerudo women living within the Fortress. They loved her, and she loved them. I had watched her help the women with their work and chores. I had also seen her socializing with them as well as playing with the children.

She had become a friend to Nabooru in particular, I noticed. They seemed to get along well, and they both could use a friend – though I didn't tell them that. The Princess was beginning to integrate well into the community and our lifestyle.

My mind then drifted back to the conversation I had eavesdropped on outside the Princess's room. Did she have a brother? And if she did, how was he able to pass the surveillance outside? I knew Nabs kept many guards posted around the perimeter of the Fortress, saying that the safety of the civilians' is more important than anything else. She never messed around when it came to the safety of those inside the Fortress.

Then, if the Princess had a brother, was he trying to rescue her? Was he going to take her back to Hyrule Castle himself? Was my help unnecessary? I pondered that thought as we entered the dining lounge.

"Are you busy today?" I asked, before I could bite back my words.

The Princess looked slightly taken aback but answered me nonetheless. "No, I'm just going to help around the Fortress with various tasks; nothing major."

"Great – Can you fence?" I questioned. I was the fencing champ here at the Fortress, second to only my dad – or Ganondorf. This was going to take some getting used to. I was just slightly worried that I would slip and call Ganondorf by his name; then he would know something is up and would question me. I couldn't let him know that I knew that he had been lying to me all this time.

"Yes, though, frankly, I'm better at archery," the Princess replied, as I pulled out her chair for her. She then slid into her seat and turned to face me.

"Really? I'm better at fencing than archery," I stated. I was good at archery, but my fencing took the cake. I had never lost a match, besides Ganondorf, of course, but he didn't count.

"That's interesting; I practiced weaponry skills back at the Castle before – all of this happened," the Princess answered.

"Would you care to join me for a round of archery, then?" I asked.

A smile lit up the Princess's face, which then spread to mine. "Why of course, Prince Link. I would be honored."

We continued to talk, not noticing that neither my father nor Nabooru had arrived yet. "Prince Link," Aziz stated.

"Oh, yeah?" I responded, jerking my head to face Aziz.

"King Ganondorf and Lady Nabooru have gone to investigate disturbances near the perimeter of the Fortress; however there is no need for panic. Your breakfast will be served shortly, and your day will commence like normal," Aziz responded.

The Princess's expression changed quickly; it went from a joyful smile to an expression of panic. "Who is – causing – this disturbance?" she asked, furrowing her brow.

"Just a group of Zoras – I have no clue what _they're_ doing in the Desert," Aziz added, muttering.

I chuckled a bit at that comment, and the Princess's expression relaxed greatly. "Thanks, Aziz."

"No problem, Prince Link; it's all a part of the job," Aziz cracked a rare smile.

"You're definitely appreciated, though, Aziz," I stated, grinning back. Aziz had been almost like a second – or third? – father to me, whenever Ganondorf was too busy to spend time with me.

"Thanks, Link. Now stop talking to me – I gotta get back to work," Aziz joked. He left the dining lounge and went down a corridor, going back to his duties around the Fortress.

Silence reigned for a few moments before I broke it awkwardly. "So – Where were we?"

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 **Thanks for reading, everyone! If you feel so inclined, please drop a review below for this chapter, considering that this is six whole hours of my blood, sweat, and tears… :) It would totally make my day, and I would be so grateful for your support. Thanks again! See you next chapter! =D**

 **Total Word Count (Not including Author's Notes):**

 **2,745**


	3. Chapter II

**Hey guys! Thanks to everyone that has read, favorite, followed, and reviewed so far. So excited to present to you Chapter II of** ** _Scars of the Caged Bird_** **…**

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"Prepare to be demolished," I stated teasingly, a grin spreading across my face.

The Princess smiled back. "I'd like to see you try." She accepted my extended hand and stood up gracefully, pushing her chair back into its proper place.

We left the dining lounge hand in hand – Wow, great job, Link. We're making some progress here. I led her to the Fortress Armory where all of our weapons were stored. I picked my handy crossbow, while the Princess grabbed a longbow hanging on the wall.

"Are you sure you want a longbow?" I questioned, raising my brow at the sight of the bow. "Longbows are one of the hardest bows to use in archery."

"I appreciate your concern – But, trust me, I'm pretty sure that I'll be alright," the Princess scoffed prettily. "Oh – And call me Zelda. This whole 'Princess' thing is getting rather redundant."

"Your wish is my command," I joked, grin intact.

"As it should be," the Princess joked back, accompanied by her silvery laugh.

We exited the Armory, both carrying a quiver of arrows each. We then headed to the target range area. This target range had been here for as long as I could remember with archery targets of various levels of difficulty. It was an area that Nabs had marked off as an area only for archery after a series of accidents had occurred as a result of not having a set area for the sport.

Zelda stood at the waiting line and watched me expectantly. Sensing her eagerness, I nodded. "Go ahead – Ladies first."

She broke into another smile before proceeding to the shooting line. She took an arrow from her quiver and loaded her bow. I still couldn't believe that she was using a longbow. She expertly raised her bow and slit her left eye slightly, not fully closing it.

She pulled the bowstring back, before letting the arrow fly. I watched it travel through the air, landing in the target with a _thud_. I squinted my eyes, attempting to see where it had landed – It had landed in the X ring – a bull's eye.

How did she do that? – and with a longbow! She prepared her bow again and pulled the bowstring back once more, following the same procedure. After slitting her left eye, she released the bowstring, allowing the arrow to fly. It soared through the air with the same whizzing sound the first one had, and I watched in awe as it split the first arrow clean in half – Another shot in the X ring – another bull's eye – with a longbow!

The same happened with her other three arrows – Each shot made it into the same spot in the X ring – But wasn't that impossible? She couldn't possibly have done that.

She aimed her unloaded bow at the ground and walked back to the waiting line. "Got anything to say about that, Link?" she teased.

I glared at her playfully before stepping to the shooting line myself. I would show her. I loaded my crossbow while glancing back at her. "What's it like in Castle Town?" I asked. I had always wanted to go there – It was the largest city in all Hyrule, which was one of the reasons why it was our capital.

"I wouldn't really know – I never really got to see it – at least beyond the Castle windows," Zelda replied. She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and offered a shy smile.

I aimed at the target, completely closing my right eye. "Why?"

"My home life wasn't exactly the best," Zelda shrugged, though I didn't miss the sad look in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" I questioned, letting the arrow loose. It landed near Zelda's arrows – or her last remaining arrow. As I said before, all her other arrows had been split in half and were lying in pieces in the sand. It was a good hit – a ten-pointer – but not good enough compared to Zelda's standards.

"I have two older brothers," she stated softly.

Ah ha! She _did_ have brothers! But would they really come all the way here to the Fortress in an attempt to rescue their sister? And I only heard one masculine voice that one night. I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off as she began speaking again.

"My mother passed away from child birth, and I just barely survived as a premature baby. My birth was a miracle, though my father didn't exactly view it that way. He was struck with grief and couldn't even look at me because I was just another cruel reminder that my mother had died. He immersed himself in his work and taught my brothers everything about politics and ruling a kingdom. He would never speak to me, and neither did my eldest brother, Arvid. They would both just ignore me.

"My other brother was the only one that truly cared about me. He was my everything – still is. He taught me everything I know now, including archery, and resented Father and Arvid. We learned to rely on each other greatly. He would teach me things, take time out of his day to help me with anything I was having trouble with, and would tuck me into bed at night. I miss him so much!" she exclaimed.

My crossbow dropped to the floor, forgotten. I made my way back to Zelda and sat down with her in the sand, beyond the waiting line.

"I knew that my father and Arvid didn't love me, but it still hurt," she stated softly. A tear rolled down her cheek.

I brushed it away with my hand. "What still hurt?"

"Arvid had been betrothed since birth, and we first met her in person last year. Her name's Katrin, and she's a duchess from the House of Marlin. My father _loved_ her, saying that she was going to be the daughter _he never had_ ," her voice quivered with both anger and sadness. "And Arvid loved her as well, saying that it was love at first sight."

My hands clenched into fists. How could they do this to her? It wasn't right – She hadn't done anything wrong. "Zelda – I –"

She shook her head. "There's nothing more I can do. This is home now. Even if I'm a hostage here, you've all treated me better than I was treated in my own home, where I was supposed to be 'Princess'. I'm on my own now, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm going to make it; I'm brave enough to take this road."

"You won't have to take it alone. You're not on your own. You have me, Zelda. You don't deserve this," I stated, taking her hand in mine. Hers were smooth and soft from no work in the Castle, while mine were rough and calloused from hard labor at the Fortress.

"I don't know why this is happening, but I have to keep my chin up – And I don't have you – I can't get close to anyone! Do you see these scars?" she asked, holding up her uncovered arms. Nasty scars ran up and down her beautiful porcelain skin. "These aren't just from the dungeon – Some of these are from my father! My own father! My brother – Arvid! I can't afford to get close to anyone, Link! I'm not going to allow myself become vulnerable again!

"I can't! My father, Arvid, Katrin – I allowed myself to become even a little close to them, and they just took that closeness and gave me scars in exchange! Katrin took the place I would have had if my mother hadn't died while giving birth to me. Can't you see, Link? This whole mess is my fault! I shouldn't have been born – If I hadn't been, maybe my mother would still be alive, and my father would be happy.

"Arvid would finally not have to look at me – a painful reminder of the loss of his mother – the reason he lost his mother! Maybe my other brother would be able to look me in the face without breaking down into tears! Maybe I'm nothing more than a problem! Maybe everyone would be better off without me," Zelda finished her emotional tirade with tears streaming down her face. She got up from our spot in the sand and ran off.

I stood up as well, about to go after her, but a hand stopped me. "Link," someone stated.

I turned to face Nabooru. "Nabs – I gotta go after her."

"Wait – I don't think that's what she needs right now. She needs to be on her own for a bit. Then you can go after her. She just needs a chance to cool down and think. She's been through so much, the poor girl, and has lived through such a hard life – She deserves better," Nabooru replied.

"I know – Did you hear our conversation?" I questioned.

"No," Nabooru stooped to pick up my crossbow and the longbow. "She told me herself. She's a very brave girl. She's so determined to be cheerful and joyful, even amidst all the pain she's had to endure. She's been keeping everything bottled up inside, aside from telling her brother."

"I wonder what her brother thinks of the situation," I answered.

"From what Zelda told me, he hates it. He wants to get her out of there, but because of the situation, he can't. He sounds like a very kind young man. Zelda said that he was extremely protective of her, for obvious reasons, and he is the perfect gentleman. He is much more honest compared to his brother, Arvid, and is conscientious of Zelda's every need. It sounds as though they've had to depend on each other in order to survive in the Castle.

"He's had to attend many stressful lessons taught by his father on how to rule a kingdom, and Zelda says that she's had to help him debrief on many a taxing night. Zelda also had to deal with the emotional trauma of feeling responsible for her mother's death every day, and he would respond by helping her remember that she had him. They've both had to deal with pressure from their father and Arvid. I know that Zelda has also been verbally abused by her father, Arvid, and Katrin, as well as physically abused by her father and Arvid," Nabooru continued.

I felt my blood boil at the thought of anyone laying a hand on Zelda.

"Her brother had to defend her but wasn't always able to be around, which is partially why he taught her self-defense. They've both had extremely hard lives, trying to withstand the many pressures their so-called family placed on them," Nabooru finished as we walked back to the Armory.

We placed the weapons back where they belonged and returned the quivers to their spots on the wall, where they would wait to be restocked.

"How has she been doing now that she's here in the Fortress?" I asked.

"She's been adapting well. She's been a huge help to many of the women and men in the gardens, the stores, and anywhere she's requested. She's an expert when it comes to archery, as I'm sure she showed you today, and I've put her in charge of teaching some of the little kids around here, especially since I don't have the patience for that – She does. Overall, she's been a pleasure to have around here, and I think that she's started to think of the Fortress as 'home'," Nabs answered.

"I'm glad. I was worried that she wouldn't be able to take the change, especially since she'd technically here as a 'hostage'," I responded as we walked down a corridor of the Fortress.

"As I said before, she's a cheerful girl already by nature and seems to adapt well. She's rather timid, though, unless the situation calls for it," Nabs replied.

My mind then wandered back to her first real day at the Fortress, when I rescued her from my father's wrath. She hadn't seemed timid then – instead, she showed a brave confidence and stubbornness. I suppose that situation had called for some gut, though. I knew that, deep down, there was another Zelda that I hadn't yet uncovered. She was there, somewhere, and I could tell that I was just barely scratching the surface. "Has she shown you her scars yet?" I asked, cringing at the memory of her scarred skin.

Nabs nodded. "Yes – I was amazed that she has begun trusting me so quickly, though I suppose she needs at least one person to trust. I'm just pleased that I'm able to be one of those people."

"What is your take on the situation, Nabs?" I asked.

We continued walking down the same corridor, simply turning back around when we reached one end.

"I'm not entirely sure. I think of her as a little sister, and I want to keep her here forever, where at least we can know that she's safe, but then again, I know that both she and her brother probably miss each other terribly, and I feel guilty about wanting to keep them apart. She seems so insistent in trying to convince me that she wants to stay here, but I'm just not sure," Nabs shook her head.

I thought back to Zelda and how desperately sad and discouraged when she flung her scarred arms in the air. She reminded me of something – But what? It then hit me – "You know what I think, Nabs?"

"What?" she glanced at me with a raised brow.

"She reminds me of a caged bird," I stated, remembering an exotic bird my father had brought home one time. Its feathers were composed of the most brilliant colors: gold, blue, green – all vibrant and beautiful. It had been in a cage, and I always felt bad for it, even while enjoying its beauty.

It had been sad for a long amount of time, always looking out at the blue sky longingly. After trying desperately to escape its cage, it finally accepted its surroundings – and began to sing. I figured that's what Zelda was doing – trying to accept her new environment while figuring out how she was going to sing in her own unique way. I guess that's what we're all trying to do in life – Figure out what our purpose is and how we're going to fulfill it.

"You're thinking of that bird your dad brought to the Fortress one time, aren't you?" Nabs questioned as her eyes lit with recognition.

I nodded. "Do you see the similarity?"

"She's trying to fit in, and she'll eventually learn how she can sing and use her talents and gifts for the good of others," Nabs agreed.

"Has my father told you why he kidnapped her?" I asked.

"He hasn't spoken to me yet, but I believe that he wanted to capture her in order to be able to use her powers – Believe it or not, Link, but she is very powerful; she may seem vulnerable and weak, but she is strong and brave and has powers she just hasn't been able to tap into yet," Nabs stated, fiddling with her hands.

"Were you with my dad during the time of her capture?" I asked.

Nabs nodded reluctantly. "I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen – You know how stubborn he can be. I did try to make her stay in the dungeons as comfortable as possible, but I don't have much of a say in decisions or the power that I used to have. Your father is beginning to question why he has put so much faith into me. He's becoming worried and is preparing to act soon."

"What do you mean – And why are you telling me this?" I questioned, knowing full well that she didn't know whether or not I was loyal to my father. I could be a traitor, ready to tell my father everything she was telling me.

"I trust you, Link. You have never always agreed with what your father has had to say – I know that. You're not going to tell your father; in fact, you know that he isn't your father. As for your first question, I don't fully know myself – I just have this – I don't know – feeling," Nabs stated mysteriously.

Now, my curiosity was peaked, but trust Nabs to beat around the bush for these things. "Nabs – You knew that he wasn't my father?" I asked, choosing to go with the easier question.

Nabooru nodded. "I have known for a long time. I was merely a girl at the time, but I remember. I'm not much older than you are, Link, but I do remember. You've been deceived for all these years."

The wound in my heart reopened against my will, and my breath hitched in the back of my throat. "Yeah – Thanks, Nabs. I guess I'll see you later?"

Nabs nodded again and did her best to smile, even amidst the pain we were both experiencing. We could sympathize with each other because we had gone through nearly the same thing. It was no secret here at the Fortress that Nabooru's parents had been killed in an "accident." After the "accident," Ganondorf had offered to take her in as a daughter, though not as an heir. He instead chose to teach her the ways of the warrior, putting her in charge of Fortress security.

Shortly after, I assumed Ganondorf captured me and took me in as his heir, from what both Zelda and Nabs had revealed to me. I sighed, and Nabs glanced over at me. "What's wrong, Link?" she questioned.

I sighed once more. "I honestly don't know. I just can't rid myself of the feeling that I need to get out of here – we need to get out of here."

Nabs nodded. "I know what you mean; I think we both need to get out of here – with our caged bird. I think we should remain here for a little longer, though. There's so much that we still need to do – like finding out what our 'father' is up to. If we can figure out what's up with him, we might be able to figure out what's our best plan of action because I think we can both agree on this – whatever he's planning cannot be good."

"Agreed," I responded.

We both gave each other a curt nod and parted ways; Nabs was heading back to her guards, and I headed back to my quarters, preparing to search for my caged princess.

* * *

 **Hey again. Thanks once more for reading, and, if you feel so inclined, please drop a review below, and don't forget to favorite and follow if you haven't done so already! *smiles* ;)**

 **Total Word Count (Not including Author's Notes):**

 **3,101**


	4. Chapter III

**OK… So what had happened was…** **JK… O_O Hey peeps!** **I have no clue what happened yesterday when I uploaded Chapter III, but the site somehow changed the chapter to coded text… I don't know how that happened… Thankfully, my Wattpad version came out OK, so if you read it on Wattpad, this is literally the same thing, not another update. This is pretty embarrassing ;P , but stuff like this happens to me all the time. =D Thanks to amazing SheikahLover who noticed this mistake (twice). You're the best!**

 **Anyways, I apologize for the mishap [looks like third time's a charm :)], and thanks to everyone that has favorite, followed, and reviewed so far because you guys are AWESOME. And, if you haven't already, you should click those buttons as though your life depends on it. :) I'm sorry for getting a bit off schedule, but I hope you enjoy the last update I will be doing for 2015! ;D**

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I entered my quarters, searching for my daggers. I had forgotten them in my quick exit from my room this morning, due to Aziz's abrupt call for breakfast. I tucked them into my leather belt, concealed under my long, green tunic.

After retrieving my daggers, I exited my room once more, heading to the dining lounge, hoping to find Zelda. I didn't find her but, instead, bumped into Aziz. "Hey, Aziz," I called out.

"Ah, hello, Prince Link – exactly who I was looking for," Aziz responded, shifting on his feet clumsily.

"What's wrong, Aziz?" I asked, raising a brow. Aziz never acted like this.

"You are aware that tomorrow is Lady Nabooru's birthday, right?" Aziz asked.

I mentally smacked myself. How could I forget that tomorrow is Nabs's birthday? I laughed awkwardly. "Uh – I – I – Of course, I remember, Aziz. How could I forget Nabs's birthday?" Although Nabs was technically a "princess," if you will, she didn't receive the same respect I received because a) she was a girl, and b) she wasn't the heir to the "throne". I received the title of prince and more because I was the heir.

Nabs, on the other hand, was less fortunate. She was known, not as Princess Nabooru, but as Lady Nabooru. There were also other differences between our privileges as "children" of Ganondorf. But – Back to Aziz –

"I don't know, Prince Link, but I, for one, am incapable of forgetting her birthday at the current state of my emotions," Aziz stated.

I froze for a moment, trying to figure out what he meant by that. It then struck me that this might be his way of admitting that he had feelings for her – What? Aziz liked Nabs? Was I missing something? "Are you saying what I think you're saying, Aziz?" I questioned, raising both my brows this time.

Aziz kept his gaze directed at the floor as he nodded slightly. I wasn't totally sure of its meaning, but I took it. "You like Nabs," I repeated, eyeing the poor servant boy.

Aziz nodded once more, and I immediately went into over-protective brother mode. "How old are you?" I asked. I was twenty-one, and Nabs was twenty-six. I definitely wanted Nabs to marry a man older than her, and she had even stated before that she was never going to marry a man younger than her for whatever reason. Don't ask me; she's weird.

"Twenty-eight," Aziz muttered, probably regretting admitting his feelings to me.

"Check," I began, going through a mental list in my head of characteristics I wanted to be present in Nabs's future husband. "Are you a hard worker?" I asked, not waiting for an answer. "Check. Are you kind? Check. Are you good at helping people? Check. Are you nice to Nabs's younger brother? Check? Do you love Nabs?" I glanced at him for this one, waiting for a response.

"I do; I love Nabooru," Aziz nodded, his voice growing firmer with confidence.

"Check," I nodded. "And you're good with kids – Bonus. I approve of you for Nabs, Aziz. If she loves you back, then go get her, boy!" I exclaimed jokingly. I was excited thinking about the prospect of having Aziz in the family as an older brother. That would be awesome, and Aziz really was like a second father to me, though I never realized he was that young. Oops…

"I'm grateful for your approval and consent, Prince Link," Aziz stated with a bow.

"Aw, none of that – Call me Link," I requested, a grin spreading across my face.

"OK – Link," Aziz uttered my name slowly as though testing it out, and, in a way, I guess he was. He grinned back. "Thank you."

"No problem – with me at least. Good luck with Dad, though," I chuckled.

Aziz paled significantly at that remark, especially considering that his skin was a dark tan color. "I am not looking forward to that meeting."

"Aw, you'll be great. Nabs and Dad will love you – especially Nabs. She always wanted a knight in shining armor," I grinned.

"That's the problem – I'm not a knight in shining armor; I'm a servant," Aziz stated, crestfallen.

"You're more than a servant, Aziz. You're a true man with a kind heart, and that's better than _any_ knight in shining armor. Trust me, Nabs will fall in love with you if she hasn't already," I reassured him.

"I'll keep your words in mind, Link. Thank you," Aziz answered gratefully.

"Now what're you waiting for, Aziz? Go get her!" I exclaimed once more, giving him a playful push. With one more reassuring smile, I gave him a mock salute and left the dining lounge, hoping that Aziz really _would_ win Nabs's heart. He was everything I wanted for Nabs, and I hoped that he would get Nabs, who was the desire of his heart. He deserved her.

I wondered where Zelda would be. I ran to the sand outside. This was my home – all I had ever known. The endless sea of sand in all four directions – the perfectly blue sky – the huge Fortress behind me – and more and more sand…

Where could she have gone? I ran to the Armory – no one, aside two women, Ramara and Relena. They waved at me, and I waved back. "Hey, you guys – Have you seen Zelda anywhere nearby?" I asked.

The two young women exchanged knowing glances. "She's now teaching a class for some of the younger children," Relena stated. Her flaming red hair blew in the hot, desert breeze, and her amber eyes twinkled.

"Oh – Thanks," I replied, while grabbing my crossbow and a quiver of arrows. Maybe I could impress some of the younger kids and help motivate them. I grinned at the thought. I ran out the Armory once more and returned to the target range.

I spotted Zelda in her green and blue silk dress, her blonde tresses blowing in the breeze, not unlike Relena's. She was standing at the waiting line with a bunch of kids, their ages ranging from seven to early teen. She wore a smile and was currently instructing a girl of about eleven years of age.

The girl, I believed her name to be Nabila, was using a recurve bow, which is a bow that most beginners and novices use when starting to learn the sport of archery. She was listening intently to Zelda's teaching, carefully taking into consideration all of Zelda's suggestions and tips.

Zelda had captured the rest of the kids' attention as well, even though she was working with Nabila. The children also listened to everything Zelda recommended, and I even heard one of the other little girls whisper that they wanted to be just like Zelda. I smiled at her remark, still watching Zelda.

Nabila shot her first arrow, and it landed just shy of the blue area of the target. It was a five-pointer – not bad for a young, eleven-year old girl's first attempt at the bow. Zelda kept helping her out until she actually shot an eight-pointer, the innermost red circle on the target. Once she had finished, she handed the bow back to Zelda and looked at her questioningly.

Zelda nodded in return, and Nabila ran to the target, removing the arrows carefully, one by one. The non-broken arrows were then placed back in the wooden holder, and the broken ones were discarded, seeing as they were wooden. She then returned back to the waiting line, beaming excitedly as Zelda gave her a high-five.

"Well done, Nabila," Zelda smiled benevolently. She then nodded at the next child – And so the line went on, in the same process, ending with the same results: all the kids doing better at the sport than they had before.

I was impressed, to say the least. Zelda seemed to be very good with kids; she had held their attention so well – at least, almost everyone. There was just one kid that had not paid attention to any of Zelda's demonstrations, tips, or recommendations. It was Rab.

Rab not paying attention, frankly, didn't surprise me, considering the fact that he is one of our biggest troublemakers in the Fortress. Being a precocious 13-year-old, he deemed it his job to be a haughty, arrogant fool, as well as an overall jerk. I sighed – This was going to be an interesting mix.

Rab stepped up to the waiting line and tapped his foot impatiently. Zelda attempted explaining the mechanics of the recurve bow he was using for the time being, but to no avail. Rab simply rolled his eyes and finally snapped at her impertinently.

Zelda's azure eyes lit in surprise, flashing slightly with both annoyance and anger. She didn't step away from him, instead reaching for the bow.

Rab's gaze never left her own, and he shot – without looking. Zelda had been standing with him at the shooting line, and his bow had been pointing straight at her. I froze, unsure of what to do, and my heart nearly stopped beating in my chest.

Zelda stepped away from the arrow's set path with lightning speed, it just barely grazing her slightly. The arrow flew, embedding its tip in the sand. Zelda's gaze hardened as she turned to face Rab.

By this point, I had semi-recovered from that extreme shock. I ran to the two at the shooting line, grabbing Rab by the scruff of his neck. "What do you think you're doing, Rab?! You could have killed her!" I exclaimed, dragging Rab away from the target range.

Zelda appeared to have recovered quickly as well because the next thing I knew, she had already turned back to the others, explaining another technique, though not without passing me a semi-smile. I tried to decipher its meaning as I took Rab away. It had been filled with relief, for sure, as well as gratitude, but there had also been something else that I couldn't classify.

I shrugged it off; I had to focus on the task at hand. "Rab – You can't do that; you almost killed her!" I exclaimed once more.

"So?" Rab glared at me disrespectfully.

"You ought to have some respect, boy. I don't have to tolerate your impudence, and you know that. You should respect me for two reasons – One, I'm the Prince, and, two, I'm your elder. Learn respect, boy," I stated, a tad more sharp than I had planned.

"Well, you know what? I don't care! You don't deserve this place – Ren and I would've been Princes if it hadn't been for you!" Rab yelled back.

I was appalled at this young, teenage boy's behavior. How was he talking to me like this? Instead of dignifying his behavior with a response, I just kept hold of his arm, taking him to someone he did respect – his brother.

"Ren!" I called out sharply to the young Gerudo man.

Rab looked at me with wide eyes as I dragged him to his brother. "Ren! Save me from him!" Rab exclaimed, struggling to escape my grip.

"What do you think you're doing with my brother, runt?" Ren asked, jerking Rab out of my grasp. He stood next to a young Gerudo woman around my age. Ren was twenty-two, one year older than me. He glared in my direction, and I knew that he hated me. He always had, always would.

He and Rab were very similar, personality-wise, although Ren cared about the safety of others – sometimes… He was also very stubborn, and when he wanted something, he normally got it.

I was told by Nabs that Ren _had_ been the one that my father had considered taking in as his heir – But then, I came along and "stole" Ren's inheritance. It wasn't my fault – I had been kidnapped from my family! Did he really think that I _wanted_ to be in this position?

I had always been smaller than Ren growing up until my growth spurt finally hit at the unusual age of sixteen. Then, I grew manlier with less boy in me, if you will. I was still not as buff as Ren, though I had grown considerably. I was now five foot ten, compared to Ren's six foot three, but I had grown, and that was all that really mattered, at least to me. Ren still took it upon himself to call me "runt."

"Your brother almost killed someone back there!" I exclaimed passionately.

"And I care?" Ren questioned sarcastically.

"Yes, you do. He almost killed Zelda by being careless, reckless, and impertinent!" I retorted, throwing Zelda into the mix for good measure.

Ren was always extra considerate toward girls – I wonder why… "Zelda? You mean that new Hylian girl now living at the Fortress?" he asked, now paying attention.

"Yeah – Your little brother almost killed her when not paying attention to where he was pointing his bow, firing his arrow in spite of what Zelda had instructed him to do," I responded.

Ren's expression changed visibly, as did his mood. "You did what, Rab?!" he shook his brother rougher than I had, looking infuriated. Yup, that did the trick…

"I'm sorry, Ren! I didn't know!" Rab exclaimed fearfully. Like Ren, his expression and mood had changed as he contemplated his fate now that he was in the hands of his very angry brother.

"Oh, well, you're gonna know by the time I'm done with you, you little idiot!" Ren exclaimed, along with several other very colorful words.

I cringed; I hate profanity of any kind.

Ren dragged Rab away without another word to me, and I cringed again, wondering if I had done the right thing. But, then I thought of Zelda, and that doubt was instantly erased.

She was worth it. I ran back to the target range, in hopes of finding her. And there she was, alone, firing arrow after arrow at a target. "Zelda!" I called, trying to get her attention.

Her head snapped to face me, and she attempted to smile, although it came out as glum, compared to her normal cheerful ones. "Hey, Link," she responded before turning to face me.

"Sorry – about earlier, I mean," I stated awkwardly, shifting my feet. I noticed that the crossbow and quiver of arrows I had brought with me had disappeared. I assumed Zelda had had one of the kids take them back to the Armory, which was fine with me.

Zelda laughed – although it wasn't like her typical, silvery ones – instead, it was hollow and empty, echoing through the Desert with no true emotion. "It's fine; I'm alive, aren't I?" she made a poor attempt at a joke.

I then winced. "I'm so sorry, Zel."

It was then that the floodgates decided to break loose. Tears began to flow freely down her porcelain skin, and she began to cry unceremoniously. "Link – I was going to die! He was so careless and awful! I don't even know how I feel! What I said earlier – about supposing I hadn't been born – I take them back! I'm glad I was born! I'm glad that I'm alive!" she exclaimed.

I was silent, as though deciding what to say, and, in truth, I was. I pondered and weighed my options carefully before deciding to do something rather unconventional. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

She didn't protest, instead drawing closer to me. I welcomed the warmth she brought me, and I suppose she did the same with me. She shivered slightly, even though it was blazing hot here in the Desert today.

"I _am_ alive, aren't I, Link?" she asked, almost timidly.

I once again thought back to the caged bird, thinking of its exotic beauty and of its sorrow at being locked away in a cage. Its desire and quest to sing, even amidst the tragedy surrounding its story. I then thought about Zelda's scarred skin and the meaning behind those cruel actions that led to her misfortune.

Thoughts of her father, Arvid, Katrin, her other brother, Nabs, Aziz, Rab, Ren, Ganondorf, and even my biological parents crowded my head. Why was life so hard? It had been so cruel to both of us – stripping us of everything we had ever known.

Her head rested on my chest, and I laid my own head atop hers. A warm Desert breeze coursed through, blowing her hair in many directions and tousling my own slightly.

I then realized that we both desired something – What that was I wasn't sure, but I could guess. I supposed that I wanted freedom – freedom from this life of sadness. I longed to be happy. I longed to see and meet my real parents. I longed to be away from the Desert – a life of swirling sand. Sand was never truly satisfied. It was always moving, never staying rooted to one spot. It was so indecisive that it allowed the wind to pick it up and toss it about carelessly, never thinking any more of it.

I didn't want to be like the sand. I wanted to be happy and satisfied, and the sand was the complete opposite.

My mind then drifted to the ocean, I believe it is called. The ocean – complete blue, like the sky, yet – different. The ocean brought many thoughts into my mind – comfort and security, as well as uncertainty, mystery, and hardship.

I wasn't completely comfortable with the idea of the ocean, but, somehow, it felt like _more_ than the sand. Though the ocean was dangerous and mysterious, and there is always a level of uncertainty about it, the sand was nothing except swirling grains of eroded substances, derived from rock and other materials.

I didn't want sand – I wanted the ocean, and, to me, Zelda was the ocean. I was the sand, unsatisfied and unhappy, and she was the ocean, dangerous, mysterious, yet, oddly enough, comforting. She drew me in, like the tide, making me feel something I had never felt before.

I then came to a conclusion. "Zelda – Have you ever heard the saying that 'to live doesn't mean you're alive'?"

* * *

 **Hey again! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to subscribe (AKA favorite and follow) and leave a review down below! It really makes my day, and it only takes ten seconds! It's the best gift you guys can give me. =D Oh, and drop a review or PM me if you know where the name Ren comes from… I'll give a shoutout next chapter to anyone that figures it out. ;D Anyways, Happy New Year, and see you in 2016! *smiles* ;)**

 **Total Word Count (Not including Author's Notes):**

 **3,010**


	5. Chapter IV

"Link!" Zelda called from Relena's house. Several months had passed since her capture, and we had both become decently comfortable with each other.

"Coming, Zel!" I answered. I ran to find Zelda, except she was nowhere in my sight. "Uh, Zel? Where are you?"

"I'm right here, Link," Zelda responded, and my heart stopped beating in my chest. She was literally sitting on top of the roof!

"Zelda! What in the Gerudo Valley are you doing?!" I exclaimed, readying myself to catch her if I had to.

Zelda's silvery laugh echoed through the Fortress. "Silly! I'm sitting on the roof!" she laughed again as though she didn't have a care in the world.

"I know – This may sound like a stupid question," I began sarcastically, "But, why?"

"C'mon, Link. I just helped Relena clean her house, and she said that I should climb on the roof to enjoy the view – And I _would_ be enjoying the view – If there weren't all these ridiculously huge walls surrounding the place," she answered. "Hey, Link – You should join me!" she motioned for me to climb up as well.

I sighed. She could make me do almost anything. "OK, Zelda. I'm coming up." I began to use the rocks on the side of the house as footholds to help me scale the wall. This was crazy but surprisingly fun. I would have to talk to Relena about her bad influence on Zelda, though. I couldn't have Zelda doing this without me there to catch her. She could hurt herself!

Wow – Now I just sound like a sap… That is sad. I made it to the top of the flat-topped house and sat down next to Zelda on the roof. Our feet dangled over the edge of the roof carelessly, and we both laughed childishly. This was actually _really_ fun.

Sadly, Zelda had been right. The Fortress walls completely blocked out all the view of the Desert. I craned my neck in an attempt to peek over the tall walls and failed horribly.

"See?" Zelda asked pointedly. She entwined her hand in mine and smiled, not looking at me.

"Zel – Do you _want_ to see the Desert?" I questioned.

"I do; I think the Desert is so beautiful. There's so much sand everywhere, and I think that's so nice. We don't have sand at Castle Town. To be able to run my hand through warm sand is just so – so pleasant. I never would have thought that sand could be so enjoyable," Zelda concluded. A soft Desert breeze blew through, playing with her blonde curls.

"I can take you to see the Desert," I suggested, knowing the perfect place.

Zelda's eyes lit up in excitement like a child on Christmas Day. "Really?"

"Yeah – Let's go," I responded. "Stay here," I commanded, beginning to make my way down the side of the house once more. I then stood slightly below where Zelda was seated on the roof. "Jump."

"Are you sure?" Zelda questioned uncertainly.

"Positive; just jump," I reassured her. I held my arms open, and Zelda jumped. I caught her easily, and she just laughed her beautiful laugh once more.

"Leaving so soon, Zelda?" Relena asked, appearing at the doorway to her house. Twin scimitars were strapped to her back, and she stood with her hands on her hips, watching us, a smile spreading across her face.

"Yup; Link's taking me to see the Desert from – somewhere," Zelda answered, still resting in my arms.

"Oh, OK. Thanks so much for help in cleaning the house; it was a wreck before you came along. It's just too much for me to handle on my own, especially because I don't have the time, and I'm still not married," Relena responded.

Zelda smiled. "Aw, don't worry, Rey. The right guy will come along soon enough, and you'll have a lovely family."

"I hope so, Zel," Relena agreed. "Oh – And, Link," she began, turning to face me. "There have been some rumors that Ren is looking for you. I'm not completely sure, but you should watch your back."

"OK – Thanks for the head's up, Relena," I answered gratefully. Hopefully those rumors weren't true because I was _not_ ready to deal with Ren right now. Why couldn't I just have a nice, normal, peaceful day for once?

"No problem, Link. I'm going on duty now, so I won't be back until later; my shift ends at 9. I'm sure I'll just enjoy six hours of doing nothing, standing there prepared to take out enemies we don't have. Anyways, you guys have a great day, OK?" Relena smiled.

"Thanks, Rey; we will," Zelda practically beamed. Along with Nabs, Relena had become a good friend of hers.

"Bye, you guys," Relena waved.

"Bye, Rey!" Zelda waved back radiantly.

"See you, Rey!" I shifted Zelda in my arms. "You OK, Zel?" I asked as I carried her away from Relena.

"I'm fine," she answered, curling up closer against my chest. I then remembered that she was the Princess of Hyrule, but I doubted she was thinking about her rank at this point.

I brought her near a Fortress wall via my brute strength, and she looked at me questioningly. I smiled at her confusion. "C'mon," I beckoned her before she had time to speak. She followed me tentatively as we walked toward the huge wall.

"Why are we here, Link?" she questioned curiously.

"You'll see," I answered her inquiry teasingly, and she rolled her eyes, annoyed at my dodging, though I knew she would love the surprise.

"Follow me," I commanded, and she obeyed without question. I suppose we had grown closer than I had realized within the past few months. She had begun taking my lead in certain matters, while I confided in her my fears, several of them ones that I hadn't even told Nabs.

She had brought joy to my life, and I was slowly uncovering more of the real Zelda – the one underneath that caged bird façade. She was so mysterious about her past, only disclosing certain pieces to the puzzle of her past life to me at certain times. It confused me, but what confused me even more was the fact that I actually _wanted_ to know her past.

I had never felt this way before, and it scared me slightly. I led her to a staircase within the wall and began to climb the stairs. She trailed behind me, and we made our way to the top of the stairs. We had made it – And we were rewarded with a gorgeous view of the Desert as we stood on the top of the Fortress walls.

Not to sound girly or anything, but it really was a sight to behold. And watching Zelda look at this view was a whole other sight in itself. Her pink lips parted slightly in complete and total awe; her small frame leaned against the wall "railing," while still maintaining her perfect posture. Her blonde hair blew to the north slightly, and her blue eyes flickered with excitement.

I had slowly but surely learned how to interpret her mood based solely on her eyes. Of course, her body language also played a large role, but her eyes were always a dead giveaway as to how she was feeling.

"Like it?" I asked, knowing full well that she did like it.

"Absolutely!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

I chuckled a bit and continued to watch her with amusement.

Her parted lips curved into a smile, and she let out a silvery laugh. "This is amazing!" she exclaimed quickly.

"I'm glad you like it," I laughed in return. Watching her enjoy the Desert view made the whole sand thing interesting again. She made the sand interesting – I wasn't sure how she could do that, but she did. I still thought of her as the ocean, and I actually really wanted to go see the ocean one day with her by my side.

I was almost positive that she had already seen the ocean or the Great Sea or even Lake Hylia, and I was slightly jealous of her, while still remaining happy for her vast range of experiences. I wanted to travel the world, not stay stuck here in the Desert, where there is pretty much nothing except, well, sand – lots of sand.

"Why can't that be me?" I sighed softly to myself, not realizing I had said it aloud. I hoped that Zelda hadn't heard, but, just my luck, her sharp Hylian ears caught every word I had said.

"Why can't what be you?" she questioned, her blue eyes flickering toward my own, showing care and concern.

I closed my mouth, upset with myself for letting that slip.

"Link – Come on; spill it. I know you, Link. You can't hide from me; I'll find out eventually," she joked, a sad smile spreading across her face.

I sighed once more, knowing that what she said was true. "I just wish that I had the chance to travel more – like you."

"You want to be like me?" Zelda asked, her azure eyes widening in surprise.

"Yeah," I nodded my head sheepishly. "I mean, you've probably traveled to everywhere in Hyrule, and all I've ever seen in my life is sand. I just wish that I had the chance to travel, see the world, and get away from all this sand."

"Why?" Zelda questioned, and I gazed at her wonderingly. "I think the sand is so beautiful! It's so picturesque and peaceful here. I feel so safe and secure here in the Desert, and I love it. You have a lovely home here, Link, and the Desert is so wonderful. If I ever do leave here to go back to the Castle, I would miss the sand terribly."

My heart felt punctured when she said the word "Castle," yet it flipped when she said she would miss the sand – Did that mean she would miss me? "I would miss you terribly, Zelda," I stated, ignoring my pride and fear of humiliation. "You've become a good friend."

Zelda flushed slightly under my gaze. "Link – That's so sweet. I would miss you as well. I would miss everyone, but especially you. You've been extremely kind to me during my stay here at the Fortress, even though I'm technically a hostage. I appreciate that."

"It's no problem, honestly, Zelda," I responded, turning to face the Desert scene before us once more. "I don't care in the least bit what my father has to say about my time spent with you, nor do I regret it."

Zelda smiled and turned to gaze over the Fortress wall at the ground below near Relena's house. Her smile then disappeared, and her blissful expression was then replaced by one of fear.

"What's wrong, Zelda?" I questioned, concerned.

"Ren," was all she stated, and that was all I needed.

"Stay up here," I commanded before racing down the stairs that ran from the top of the wall to the Fortress interior. I prepared myself for a confrontation, which was exactly what I got.

"Hello, Link," Ren hissed, glaring at me openly.

"What do you want, Ren?" I questioned, my own eyes narrowing into slits, like when Zelda was doing archery. My hands balled into fists, and I took a strong stance.

Ren scoffed. "You know what I want."

I racked my brain, coming up with nothing. "Um – No, I don't."

"I want the girl," Ren answered.

A girl? What was he talking about? Did he mean Zelda? "Which girl, Ren?" I snapped, losing my patience. "You do know that the majority of the population here at the Fortress is girls – or women. You have to be more specific."

"Well, lucky you. I'm making things simple and easy. I just happen to want the only Hylian girl living here at the Fortress right now," Ren smirked, knowing that he was making me mad.

I felt a rage like I had never felt before. Who did he think he was? Oh, yeah – The "true and rightful" Prince of the Gerudo. Well, sorry, buddy, but that's my title right now, and I was prepared to protect Zelda with my life. "Shut up, Ren," I commanded, trying to control my very easily set off temper.

"Yikes – Touchy subject, eh, Link?" Ren taunted, the smirk ever present on his face.

I continued to glare at him openly, not caring about whether others saw me. "Ren – You're trying my patience. Just leave. You won't have her."

"Oh, really?" Ren raised a brow teasingly. "Are you sure about that, Link? Remember who is the bigger and stronger one here. I can easily take you out right now," he boasted.

I spoke through clenched teeth, "Ren – You can hurt me, but you will not touch her!"

Ren simply laughed out loud, throwing his head back as though I had just told him the funniest joke in the Desert. "Ah, Link – As I've told you before, I _always_ get whatever I want."

"Then why aren't you heir to the throne?" I asked tauntingly, not thinking before I spoke. Whoops – Bad idea – Very bad idea…

Ren swung a punch at me, and I ducked, barely missing the swing. Considering the fact that I was tall, as was Ren, this was a remarkable feat. I glanced up once at the Fortress wall top where Zelda was standing, watching the fight fearfully. No doubt she had had to watch this sort of thing when her brother was defending her against her other so called family members.

Ren swung again, but this time I caught his fist midair. "Ren! What are we doing?!" I exclaimed, blocking and dodging Ren's barrage of attacks.

"I will fight for Zelda!" he responded, still persistently attacking me. His amber eyes were glazed over with anger, fury, and envy, and I was momentarily caught off-guard. I had never seen Ren _this_ mad.

"Ren – We shouldn't be doing this; please, let's stop," I remained on the defensive, trying not to hurt him because I didn't _want_ to hurt him – It wasn't my place.

Then, Ren finally met his mark – my face. He swung with such impact that my lip began bleeding. I wiped the blood from my face, continuing to avoid Ren's attacks. Ren looked at me with clear hate, and I was shocked. I had never felt someone's hate for me before, and this too caught me off-guard.

"You took my place!" Ren exclaimed. "You stole everything I ever wanted in life!"

"Ren!" I dodged another punch, still trying to remain on the defensive rather than offensive.

"OK! That's enough!" I heard a strong feminine voice exclaim, and I felt myself being torn away from Ren and his attacks.

"Are you alright?" a softer female voice asked, and I gazed into Zelda's blue eyes.

"Yeah," I answered, attempting to wipe the blood from my swollen lip. Ren was in Aziz's tough grip, and Nabs was yelling at him, berating him without fear or shame. Of course, good 'ole sis came to the rescue.

"Here," Zelda handed me an ice pack. "Press this to where it's bleeding. It should help to alleviate some of the pain while helping to apply some pressure to help stop the bleeding."

"Thanks," I responded gratefully, doing as she said. It helped almost immediately, for which I was grateful.

"No – Thank you," she answered with a sad smile. "That was very brave of you to do that for me. I'm so grateful."

I tried to smile back, despite the obvious pain I was feeling. "I'm just glad you're safe."

"You're so sweet!" Zelda gave me a small hug before we turned to watch the show.

"REN!" Nabs exclaimed. "How could you do that to Link?! You should know better! You could have seriously hurt him!" she waved her hands in the air animatedly, and I craned my neck, trying to see if there was any sort of – Oh, I don't know – diamond – on her left hand.

Ren glared back at Nabooru blatantly, while struggling to escape Aziz's grip. "I didn't do anything!" he protested. "Let me go!"

"You call giving Link a bloody lip 'not doing anything'?!" Nabs yelled, going off into another loudly given lecture. "You're so thoughtless and inconsiderate of others! And you were threatening to take Zelda?! You cruel jerk! You have no feelings!"

With that last exclamation, Ren looked as though he had been visibly slapped in the face. "You don't know anything about me! Now let me go!" he attempted to wrench free from Aziz, and Aziz let him. He ran away from us, heading to who knows where.

Nabs was fuming and didn't hide it. "I promise I will go after that thoughtless jerk the next time he hurts someone and take him straight to Father!" she exclaimed. "He deserves punishment!"

Aziz, on the other hand, was cool and collected, even amidst the craziness that had just gone on. He placed an arm around Nabooru as though it was the most normal thing in the world and comforted her. "It's OK, Nabs."

Zelda's eyes widened, and I chuckled. "You did it, Aziz?" I asked, proud of him.

Aziz nodded, almost sheepishly, yet smiled. "She's made me the happiest man in the world," he stated.

"OK… Just wait until she starts blowing up on you. She's quite the hothead, let me tell you," I grinned as Zelda's eyes lit up in realization.

Nabooru was not pleased. "LINK!" she exclaimed.

I just laughed again. "See what I mean?"

"So you two are getting married?" Zelda asked excitedly.

Aziz nodded. "We plan to. Hopefully, Lord Ganondorf will not object."

"Well, if he does, we'll just run away. He's not even my real dad anyways," Nabs scoffed. She never really liked Ganondorf, as you can see. And you could tell that she was in love with Aziz. Even the way she looked at him showed her love for him.

I was happy for her, considering the fact that I had doubted she would ever find a man that would tolerate her random outbursts and loud personality, though I would never say that out loud… Nabs would kill me!

"You guys are perfect together!" Zelda smiled brightly, her silvery laugh echoing throughout the Fortress.

"I'd like to think so," Aziz laughed.

I had never seen Aziz so – loose – before, and, if this was something his relationship with Nabs was going to bring, then I liked it already. "Took you long enough; it's been about a month since we had that 'brotherly' discussion," I laughed.

"What?" Nabs questioned, eyeing both me and Aziz suspiciously in turn.

Aziz scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Nothing, Nabs."

Nabs began to stare him down. "Aziz?"

"It's really nothing, Nabs," I chuckled. "Don't worry about it."

"Did you _scare_ him into asking me to marry him?!" Nabs yelled, waving her arms madly about.

I rolled my eyes, patting her back gently. "No, I didn't, Nabs. Calm down, Nabbie."

Nabs directed her glare at me, unamused, and smacked my arm – And she hits hard – for a girl – and maybe a few guys... "Don't call me that."

"Sorry – _Nabbie_ ," I grinned widely, and Zelda giggled.

Nabs looked at me, horrified. "LINK!"

* * *

 **Hey peeps! Just FYI, this story/book is based off two things: the 2015 Zelink Week prompt, Scars, as well as Lindsey Stirling's "Song of the Caged Bird." Thanks to those that favorite, followed, and reviewed so far! You guys are the best, and I love you all. If you like what I'm doing, please subscribe (favorite and follow)!**

 **Also, I do have a Wattpad exclusive Zelda book called** ** _Big Break_** **up as well, so, if you have Wattpad, go check it out. :D Once I finish this book, I'll be able to post** ** _Big Break_** **here on FF, but for now, it'll stay only on Wattpad because of slow updates while I'm still writing** ** _Scars of a Caged Bird_** **… OK, that's it – And, if you feel so inclined, please review; it makes me feel more motivated to write. ;) Anyways, see you Tuesday (or Wednesday)! ;D**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **3,209**


	6. Chapter V

Zelda, Aziz, Nabooru, and I made our way around the Fortress, helping others that needed it. At around 6:00, Aziz had to leave in order to help with dinner preparation back within the main Fortress building, where Ganondorf, Nabs, and I resided, as well as Zelda, for now, at least.

An hour and thirty minutes after Aziz's departure, at 7:30, Nabooru had to leave as well in order to make her rounds, checking on the guards on duty that shift.

And so there were two, me and Zelda.

"Miss Zelda!" a childish voice exclaimed. Scratch that – and then there were three, sigh. "Miss Zelda!"

"Yes?" Zelda turned around to face Nabila, the little girl she had been helping in archery for at least a good month. "What's wrong, Nabila?" her blue eyes flashed with concern as they caught sight of two skinned knees. "Oh, my goodness! Nabila – What happened?" she knelt down to look the girl in the eye.

"Miss Zelda, it hurts!" Nabila declared, whimpering slightly. It must have hurt a lot; Gerudo, especially females, have an extremely high tolerance for pain, although you could take into consideration the fact that she was only eleven-years-old.

"OK, Nabila, sh," Zelda crooned soothingly. "We have to clean this out – How did this happen?" she asked caringly, taking Nabila into her arms.

I stepped away slightly, unsure of what to do in this situation.

Nabila sniffled, and tears began to course down her face. "Rab pushed me onto the floor, and I landed on the gravel part of the walkway."

My blood began to boil – Again? I just had to deal with Ren; I couldn't deal with both of them now… But he hurt Nabila, and he shouldn't go unpunished. No little girl deserves to be pushed into a gravely path by an older, teenage guy. How could he do that without his conscience stopping him first? – Oh, wait – He doesn't have one…

I would deal with him later, but first, I had to be there for Nabila and Zelda. "Is there anything that I can do, Zelda?"

Nabila looked at me with her wide, amber eyes. "Can you hold my hand?" she asked, her voice wavering.

I looked at Zelda questioningly, and she nodded. "OK," I agreed, accepting the little girl's proffered hand.

"C'mon, you two. We should go inside, clean this out, and get some type of dressing for this wound. Then we can go get some dinner. How does that sound, Nabila?" Zelda asked, gazing into Nabila's eyes.

Nabila's eyes widened. "With you and Prince Link?" she asked excitedly.

Zelda nodded, a giggle escaping her lips. "Absolutely."

The little girl tugged on my hand. "C'mon, you two," she commanded, copying Zelda's previous words.

I chuckled a bit as we began walking to the main Fortress building. I noticed a shadowy figure standing near the entrance after we entered but neglected to mention anything. I mean, it couldn't be anything serious, right?

Zelda led us to the infirmary and motioned for Nabila to sit on top of a large bed. Nabila complied, and Zelda beckoned me over to where she had begun preparing the bandages necessary. "She's an orphan, so she gets lonely sometimes," she explained to me aside, speaking below a whisper.

I nodded in understanding, and things became slightly clearer for me in regards to why Nabila behaved the way she did. "Ah," was all I uttered, and we walked back to Nabila's bed.

I watched in interest as Zelda began cleaning out the wound with warm water. Nabila winced slightly, but she didn't cry, remaining completely stoic.

Seeing this side of Zelda was also interesting. She spoke in softer tones and knew a lot about medicine, as seen from my encounter with Ren, as well as Nabila's skinned knees. She was a very caring person in general, but an injured or sick person took her concern to the next level.

"Prince Link?" Nabila said my name, almost uncertainly.

I turned to face her directly, focusing my full attention on the little girl. "Call me Link, Nabila," I answered, smiling.

"Link?" Nabila whispered timidly, trying it out for the first time. "Thank you. You too, Miss Zelda," she gazed down at her folded hands in her lap.

"You're very welcome," I answered, grinning at the shy girl.

"It's no problem, Nabila," Zelda smiled, bandaging the wound. "I told you last session that you can consider me to be your big sister. I remember always wanting an older sister when I was growing up, and I want to be yours."

"Thanks, Miss Zelda," Nabila stated once more as Zelda finished binding Nabila's wound.

"Aw, none of the whole 'Miss' thing. Call me Zelda just like how you call him Link," Zelda gestured at me comically.

"OK, Miss – I mean, Zelda," Nabila giggled slightly then wrapped Zelda in a tight hug.

"That's better," Zelda poked Nabila's nose, and the little girl giggled once more from within Zelda's embrace.

"Zelda?" Nabila's expression then turned serious. "Will you go back to the Castle soon? I know you're the Princess. You don't need to hide it from me; everyone knows who you really are."

Zelda stopped in surprise and glanced down at the little eleven-year-old girl. She was a lot more perceptive than I suppose we all had thought. "I – I don't know," Zelda stammered, trying to come up with an answer.

Although I didn't want anyone to know it, my heart had stopped in shock, and the answer was a deep blow to me, even though I knew Zelda would have to leave eventually. I suppose I had thought, deep down in my heart, that perhaps she might stay – that she might not have to go back to the Castle to her abusive family, and she could stay here – with me.

I would be able to protect her, and we could be happy here in the Fortress. She had already established so many bonds with the people here, and it would be a shame for them to go to waste if she left. I doubted that she wanted that, but another part of me knew that she missed the Castle and her protective, older brother.

I could tell that she loved and admired him immensely whenever he would come up in a conversation. But she wouldn't leave, would she?

She had already become a favorite with the kids here in the Fortress, especially Nabila, and Nabila had become a favorite of hers. Zelda would take some of her spare time to help Nabila with her archery, helping to develop the natural talent in archery Nabila already possessed.

It was wonderful to watch their small relationship grow; Nabila loved Zelda so much, and Zelda took Nabila under her wing. They were helping each other with their grief, I could see.

Nabila latched on to Zelda. "I don't want you to go!" she exclaimed, tears threatening to stream down her face.

Zelda hugged her tighter. "I don't think I want to go back either…" her voice trailed off, and my heart leaped with hope. Did that mean that she wanted to stay?

Or was she just saying that to make an eleven-year-old girl feel better. Zelda didn't strike me as the type of person to give someone false hope; although she was sweet and kind, she wouldn't sugarcoat things.

I surprised even myself with what I said next, "Stay with us."

Zelda looked at me in surprise. "What?"

"Yes – Stay with us, Zelda!" Nabila exclaimed quickly, her eyes lighting up instantly. "You can be my big sister, and Link can be my big brother! We can all be happy together!"

"I don't know, Nabila. I'm not sure whether I'll be going back or not. I love it here, but my family needs me," Zelda responded, most likely only thinking about her brother.

"But, Zelda –" Nabila began in a voice that could make you melt. "I need you too – And so does Link."

Zelda kept her gaze on Nabila, but she did glance at me through her peripherals. "You need me?" she questioned the little girl.

"Yes," Nabila's head bobbed up and down. "You're the only one that has ever loved me, Zelda. No one else around here does. They only feel sorry for me 'cause I lost my parents," her voice sounded so serious and resigned, that even I felt my heart break at her heartfelt words.

"Oh, Nabila!" Zelda exclaimed, tears beginning to streak down her perfect porcelain skin. "If I had to leave, I would take you with me!"

Nabila's amber eyes lit up. "Really?"

Zelda nodded. "Really."

"Really and truly?" Nabila questioned once more.

Zelda laughed. "Really and truly, Nabila, really and truly…"

I watched the scene, not really involved anymore, but I chose not to leave because I felt something strange. I had never witnessed a scene like this before – A scene that felt so – warm and – so – so real… It was nice and calmed my heart considerably. Was this what it meant to be a part of a family?

I had never really known a family before. I had Nabs, who treated me like a younger brother, and there was Aziz, who was like another father figure in my life, but would now be a brother to me. I did have them, but I had never _truly_ had a _family_.

If this is what it felt like to have a family, then I wanted one, not that Nabs and Aziz weren't amazing; they were. I just wanted to feel this warming feeling of being surrounded by love. It sounds odd, but I could feel the love and care practically radiating from Zelda and Nabila, and I wanted that.

"Are you really planning on leaving?" I questioned, my heart wrenching at the thought. Zelda had become so much more to me in the past few months. I had watched her slowly acclimate to her surroundings, and she was beginning to thrive. I wanted her to stay here at the Desert – to be able to watch her grow and learn to sing, like the caged bird.

Why would she go? Why would she leave Nabila? Why would she leave her new home? Why would she leave me?

Zelda's azure eyes flickered toward mine. "I don't know, Link. I don't know. I love it here, but, technically, I'm still a hostage under you custody. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I want to be free, Link – Can you understand that?"

"Was being at the Castle freedom?" I asked, lashing out at her. "Was being beaten by your father freedom? Was being hurt repeatedly by Arvid and Katrin freedom? Was being weak freedom?" I hissed, feeling hurt. How could she not see that everyone here at the Desert – We needed her. We needed her more than ever.

She brought change and hope to our society – hope that things could _change_ – hope that things would continue to change – hope that maybe, just maybe, Ganondorf might not rule anymore. She had given us the gift of hope – How could she take that gift away from us now – the time we needed it the most?

Zelda's lips parted slightly, and her eyes flashed with hurt. It was only then that I registered what I had said to her, but there was no going back now. "Zelda – You _can't_ go back!" I exclaimed, talking to both her – and me. "You _can't_ go back to the way things used to be! Things have changed, and things will never be the same again! How can you not understand that?!"

"Link – I –" she began, but I cut her off.

"No, Zelda! You've changed everything – You've changed our society – the way we look at the world – the way we view Hylians and Hyrule – You've changed everything. There is no going back now," I finished, my voice scarcely above a whisper.

Zelda looked at me in shock, and I didn't know what to say after that – I suppose I had lost all my words… "Link –" she began again, but I couldn't hear her voice, being too emotionally shaken. So, I did the only thing I knew to do – I ran…

"Link!" Nabila exclaimed, but I paid her no heed.

My heart raced, and temporary adrenaline pumped throughout my body in my haste to get away. I ran and ran, not caring where I was going, not caring whether my life was so cliché. Did I have to care? I suppose not, though, surprisingly, I wanted to care.

But, more importantly, I wanted Zelda to care. I don't know why, but the thought of her fueled me forward, whether by rage or the adrenaline, I wasn't sure. All I knew was that I _had_ to get away to clear my head.

I ran to another Fortress wall top and stared at the Desert scene ahead of me, sighing. I stood, with my hands on my hips, and watched as the blazing sun set, causing the sky to turn a hazy dark blue. It was now 8:00, and the night seemed so comforting, yet so mysterious.

I loved the night with a passion because it helped me to – forget. I was able to get lost in the night's beauty, becoming entranced with the night's alluring magnificence. My thoughts then turned to the Hylian Princess, the reason I had come here in the first place.

Zelda didn't necessarily cloud my thoughts, or anything, but she simply fascinated me. Watching her grow here at the Fortress helped me or something. She helped me see a totally different perspective of the world and the way things work. She helped me see the beauty of the things around me, things that I had taken for granted for so long.

She helped me see that even the sand was beautiful. _Everything_ around us is beautiful; we just need to look deeper, beyond the hurt and pain this life and world has to offer. She made me realize that something as boring and unsatisfied as sand could bring satisfaction to the person looking at it.

She helped me appreciate life, and I was grateful for her.

I then thought of the caged bird. Zelda had grown to adjust here at the Desert, as I had mentioned before. Did she want to leave? Did she want to go before she had found her voice? – the way she could sing and bring light to the world?

She had brought light to my world and had so much more to offer to those around us. The Gerudo had grown to love her. She had become a part of our daily lives. She taught younger children archery and helped the busy women keep house. She was always there to lend a hand to someone in need, even if that person wasn't necessarily someone she liked.

She had made an impact on so many people's lives, including my own. She was a role model to the young girls at the Fortress, an example of whom was Nabila. Zelda had taken Nabila under her wing, offering the younger girl care, support, and love through the younger girl's life without parents or older siblings.

From what I could gather about Nabila, she was living in the Fortress orphanage, where they placed children that had lost their parents during a fight, mission, etc. I made an inference and assumed that they had developed a bond due to the fact that they suffered in very similar situation and had provided comfort for each other.

But then, that brought me to my next thought. Would Zelda go back and face all the pain she had experienced? If she did, then she was very brave – with more courage than I could ever have. I didn't want her to go back to her abusive family, though I wanted to meet her brother. I wondered briefly whether or not her brother would come to retrieve her eventually; I mean, he was a Prince of Hyrule. He had soldiers, troops, and an army to back him up – What was stopping him?

Of course, I didn't want him to come get Zelda. I wanted her to stay. Was there something wrong with the way I was thinking? I had never felt this way before and wasn't sure how to react.

I then thought of Aziz and Nabs. They would definitely make an interesting couple – I was so excited to have a brother, even if we were never truly related. I wanted a family; in fact, I craved a family. Where was my family?

I smiled. My family was right here: Nabooru, Aziz, Zelda, and Nabila. We were together, and we were a family – They were my family, and I couldn't ask for anything more – Or could I?

Thoughts of the parents I had never met before flooded my brain – Reneer and Kirstin Adema. From what Zelda had told me, my father was a brave warrior, and my mother was a kind and beautiful woman. Would I ever get the chance to meet them?

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to face a breathless Nabooru. "Link – You have to come with me – Dad is looking for you!" she exclaimed, panting. "I tried to calm him down, but he's mad for some reason! I don't know why. What did you say?"

"Nothing! Nabs, I swear I haven't even spoken to Dad in ages!" I answered, suddenly becoming alarmed at my adoptive sister's words. What could Ganondorf possibly want?

"Maybe that's the problem," Nabs responded. "But I would be careful when talking with him – He was really mad when I left, so don't do anything foolish, OK, Link?"

"Me? Foolish?" I made a weak attempt at a joke.

Nabooru gave a pathetic smile, not her usual cheeky grin. "Link – Please be careful, will you? I'll be there to back you up, but I can't promise anything. You know what Dad's like when he's mad."

I sighed before nodding reluctantly. "I'll be careful."

"Please do. I'll be right behind you the whole time, OK?" Nabooru assured me resignedly.

I repeat – What could Ganondorf, my so-called father, _possibly_ want?

* * *

 **Hey peeps! So, that was the fifth chapter of** ** _Scars of the Caged Bird_** **. I'm sorry if Link's thoughts get kinda redundant, but I'm attempting to show his thoughts more because there will come a time when we won't be able to see his thoughts as much - when all the action kicks in *spoilers* Lalala!**

 **Thanks to anyone that has read this story, and if you haven't already, please "subscribe!" (Subscribe is Elsie lingo for please favorite and follow.) Every time I see that someone else has favorited/followed, I get the reaction I would have had if the Mets had won the World Series… *tear* :( Anyways… Please do subscribe and give me that satisfaction. :) Then I won't feel sad…**

 **Also, thanks to anyone that has reviewed. I have the same reaction as stated above, so please do – just no flames, please. Soooo… Let me say my signature phrase… And if you feel so inclined, please drop a review down below…**

 **See you Sunday! (At least Sunday in NYC)*smiles* :D and 3**

 **~Zelda (Elsie)**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **3,028**


	7. Chapter VI

**Hey peeps! If you are one of my amazing peeps on Wattpad, you would have already read this chapter because I posted it on Wattpad on Friday. Yay for you! See! My Wattpad peeps really do get some extra perks. :D Anyways, love you all, enjoy, and see you at the end…**

* * *

Nabooru and I walked to the main Fortress night silently, consumed by our individual thoughts. As the cool Desert wind whipped around me, I realized that I hadn't seen the stars yet because Nabs had called me before I had the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful, in my opinion at least, sights in the world.

We entered the main building reluctantly and were met by Aziz. He wrapped an arm around Nabs, squeezing her shoulders. "Everything will work out fine, Nabooru," he assured her.

"LINK! NABOORU!" we heard our "father" bellow.

"Somehow I highly doubt that," I stated, my unique blue eyes flashing with both fear and determination.

Aziz made a feeble attempt at a joke, smiling weakly. "How could you think that?"

"We are going to die!" Nabooru exclaimed dramatically. However, in the case of our "father," her exclamation may not have been that much of an exaggeration.

We all walked to Ganondorf's throne room and peeked into the room from behind the large door tentatively. "GET IN HERE!" my father yelled, causing us all to jump slightly.

Nabooru kissed Aziz softly, and he gave her a careful hug. "See you two when you guys get out of there," Aziz nodded at me.

So much for all that dinner preparation Aziz and the other servants had gone to all that trouble to prepare. I knew that both Nabs and I had missed it, as did Zelda, meaning the only one that ate tonight was my father. Wait a second – Where _was_ Zelda anyways?

"If we get out of there," Nabs grumbled, her amber eyes flashing in annoyance. She hated it when Ganondorf got upset because it only meant more work for us.

Nabs and I entered the room, wincing when our "father" began throwing random projectiles at us that had been in the room beforehand, just minding their businesses; poor objects. Included in our father's barrage were heavy objects, such as chairs – Did I mention that Ganondorf was extremely strong?

We had to duck and dodge the thrown items as Ganondorf threw his head back in rage. I almost completely stopped in shock when I saw someone beside him – Ren.

What was he doing here? He simply smirked at me, eyeing me and Nabs evenly in turn. He had an air of arrogant victory about him – something I didn't like; it was something that made me hope this wasn't what I thought it was.

"Link," my father hissed angrily. His amber eyes narrowed at me and burned with hatred. This was something I had never seen directed to me before, at least not by anyone except for Ren. His arms were folded over his chest, and he took on a commanding stance.

The throne room was completely destroyed. Tapestries that had hung on these walls for _years_ were shredded as though they were inexpensive and non-important. Even though I wasn't a Gerudo by birth, the Gerudo culture was still my own, so the thought of those historic, irreplaceable tapestries being ruined like that was infuriating.

Ancient vases lay on the floor, smashed and shattered into millions of tiny pieces. Tables were overturned, and the once tidy throne room looked as though a sandstorm had ripped through it, destroying everything in its path, which I suppose, if you view my father as a sandstorm, that was exactly what happened.

I ducked as a precious, rare book was thrown at my head by Ren. I furrowed my brows. "Father – What are you doing?" I questioned, feeling betrayed, although I had honestly been the one to leave him first.

Nabs shoved me out of the way of another projectile that I hadn't seen. We both tumbled to the floor, glaring at my "father" and Ren.

"I am taking back what is rightfully mine and giving it to someone who deserves it," Ganondorf snarled, his amber eyes piercing my own.

"Oh, really? So you suddenly just start throwing random objects from around the room at your own son? Not cool, Dad," I scoffed, helping Nabs stand. We stood defiantly in front of our "father" and my rival.

"Oh, you know you aren't really my son," Ganondorf laughed in my face hollowly. "You know that you aren't a Gerudo. You know that you're not the Prince of the Gerudo – the Prince of Thieves. I am prepared to take back that title and give it to someone that truly deserves it," he repeated.

"Ren?" I questioned. "You're letting Ren take my place?" I was appalled at the idea, yet slightly satisfied. Maybe I would have the opportunity to get out of the Desert and away from the sand, leaving with everyone I ever cared about and heading toward a new future.

"Yes, he is," Ren butted in, speaking in a proud tone. "I am now to take your place as the son of Lord Ganondorf as the Prince of the Gerudo and the Prince of the Thieves, heir to the throne."

"You heartless jerk," Nabooru growled. If looks could kill, we would probably all be dead now because eyes conveyed hate, and daggers were very present in everyone's expressions. "All you care about is that stupid title – You only want more power."

"So what if I do? How do you think Ganondorf became king in the first place," Ren laughed Nabs's comment off.

"You are lusting for power, Ren. That isn't healthy – And it's not right," I stated firmly.

Everything had come to a standstill with both Ren and Ganondorf holding fire. Their hands were poised in the air with two heavy books ready. Because of my internal struggle, I hardly had time to question the fact that they were able to hold tomes of such weight with only one arm. Regardless, Nabs and I still held our ground, refusing to give in to their "superiority."

"Stop!" exclaimed a commanding feminine voice. We all turned to face Zelda, and my heart stopped in complete shock, as it had become prone to do with all of Zelda's unique antics. She stood with her hands on her hips, with Aziz by her side.

"Who are you to defy me, girl?" Ren snarled. He grabbed her wrist unceremoniously, and I felt a wave of anger wash over me.

"Don't touch her!" I commanded; my voice was surprisingly strong and unwavering, considering the situation at hand.

Ren scoffed. "And why should I?"

Aziz stepped in bravely. "Because our Prince says so!"

I shot Aziz a grateful look before approaching them cautiously, wary of Ren's many tricks. Zelda maintained an impassive expression; I knew that she was used to this type of pain, but I didn't want her to have to go through that ever again.

"He's no Prince! He's not even a Gerudo!" Ren retorted, still keeping hold of Zelda's wrist.

"He's more of a Gerudo than you could ever dream of being, Ren! You're a monster!" Nabooru jumped in fearlessly. She drew her twin scimitars and readied herself for an attack.

Ganondorf simply chuckled. "To think that I _raised_ you two – Now you betray me? – all because of this one girl?" he made us sound foolish and naïve.

"She's not just any girl," I stated, locking eyes with Zelda.

"Let her go, Ren," Aziz commanded, and I looked at him with shock – This was not the Aziz I once knew… This Aziz was brave.

"And you – a servant?" Ganondorf chuckled hollowly. "Since when did _you_ become this brave? You're a nobody – You're not worth anything. You don't even deserve to be alive…"

At this statement, Nabooru lunged Ganondorf, her scimitars ready for attack. "Don't ever speak about him like that, Ganondorf," her amber eyes blazed with a fire and passion I had never seen before.

And, just like that, my whole world went black…

* * *

"Zelda – We need to leave. We don't have time to keep waiting for him to wake up," a masculine voice stated. It sounded very similar to another voice I had heard recently, but I couldn't place it.

My head was aching with a throbbing pain, and I opened my eyes blearily, squinting at a bright lantern light.

"No – Let's wait a little bit longer. He'll wake up soon – I know he will. Besides, he would never have left me," another voice answered – Zelda. She and another figure stood, conversing, unaware of the fact that I had "come around."

I noticed rows of thick, steel bars aligned behind them, and I furrowed my brow. Where were we? "Zelda?" I questioned, trying to make out the identity of the other hooded figure.

Zelda and the man turned to face me, suddenly aware of my presence. "Link?" Zelda's voice echoed through the dark room.

"Where are we?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound foolish.

Zelda sighed sadly, and her blue eyes flickered with pain, hurt, and sorrow. "We're in the dungeons."

"The dungeons?" I repeated; even the word sounded unappealing to me. I had never had the opportunity or the time to come down here, though I was not oblivious to the sounds and cries of torture I would sometimes hear coming from underground when walking around the Fortress.

Zelda nodded. "Yes," she confirmed.

"Zelda – We need to get out of here. The guard will be coming here on her rounds any second," the hooded man stated urgently.

I saw that my wrists were chaffed and looked at Zelda questioningly.

"Chains," Zelda answered simply, offering me her hand.

I accepted and stood up carefully, taking notice of my surroundings in a new light. My legs wobbled slightly, having fallen asleep along with me. "What happened?" I questioned, my brow furrowing.

Zelda opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by the hooded figure. "Later," he commanded. "C'mon; we have to go."

"Who are you?" I asked as the man unlocked the cell door.

It swung precariously and creaked loudly. I cringed and hoped no one had heard that. The man sighed. "Later," he repeated.

I growled at the back of my throat, becoming frustrated. "Why later?"

"Because," a familiar voice cut in, "If this conversation had been heard by anyone besides a friend, you would be sent to Ganondorf now."

"Relena!" I exclaimed.

Relena gave me a weak smile; she looked extremely tired and tense. She wore her flaming red hair in a messy braid, and she had her twin scimitars strapped to her back, as always. "Hi, Link. Look, we need to get you all out of here. I just barely was able to receive this shift in order to help you all escape. We need to move – now."

"Where are Nabs and Aziz?" I questioned, not willing to move an inch before I knew what happened to my sister and her fiancé.

"They're safe, waiting for you outside. Now, c'mon," Relena commanded, gesturing at us to follow her.

I fell in step besides Zelda, while Relena led the way. The hooded figure followed closely behind us, as our rearguard. The dungeons were connected to several crudely constructed underground corridors that connected the area to the outside. These corridors were the only ways in and out of the dungeons.

The corridors were dimly lit by torches in their sconces, and the whole area smelled disgusting. It was dank and wet – not exactly where I wanted to be right about now.

We continued down the underground halls until we arrived outside where I was greeted with a fresh whiff of cool Desert air. I noticed the sky was still dark and wondered what time it was. "Zelda – What time is it?" I asked.

"It's 3:00 AM," Zelda responded. "You've been out for at least six and a half hours now," she answered the question I was about to ask.

"What happened?" I questioned as we walked through the Fortress, carefully and stealthily avoiding any of the guards. I heard the hooded man mumble something to himself. I rolled my eyes. "It's later now!"

"Nabooru raised her scimitars against Ganondorf, Rab somehow was standing directly behind you, and, on Ren's word, he smashed a large book on top of your head. Chaos then ensued, and Nabs attempted to strike Ganondorf, but he had hidden, turncoat guards capture her. Aziz tried to rescue me from Ren's grasp, but Ren ended up letting go of me anyways – and Aziz and I were put under the watch of several male guards," Zelda began.

She continued, "We were all taken to the dungeons. The man standing behind you now released Nabs and Aziz. They're waiting for us now to make our escape. He then released me and you as well, although you were knocked out cold. I'm sure your head must hurt still from the blow."

I nodded; the throbbing pain in my head had grown immensely, and I attempted to rub my temples.

"We're leaving the Fortress," Zelda finished softly, knowing how much this hurt me. Although Ganondorf had hurt me immensely, this was still my home and held many happy memories. But we would be back; I knew that. We had to come back…

I nodded slowly, absorbing all the information Zelda had just told me. "Where are we going?" I questioned, looking at Zelda with new determination.

"The Castle," a new voice cut in – a voice I knew well.

"Nabs!" I exclaimed, flinging myself on my older sister.

Nabooru smiled back, hugging me as well. "Nice to see you too, Link," she chuckled.

"Run now, hug later," Aziz commanded, half-jokingly, half seriously.

We all nodded, knowing our time was short. "Wait – We need to get Nabila," Zelda spoke up.

The hooded man turned toward her. "We don't have time."

"You don't understand – I can't leave her here alone; it'd be like leaving a girl in a lion's den. Both Ren and Rab know that I care about her, so she'd automatically become their next target. We can't let that happen," Zelda responded urgently.

The hooded man sighed, as if used to her requests. "Fine. I'll go get her."

"No," Zelda answered quickly. "I have to go too. She doesn't know you."

"And neither do I, which is exactly why I'm coming too," I added, eyeing the man.

"Then you have to hurry. Nabooru, Aziz, and I will head over to the Armory and grab some weapons for you all to use on your journey," Relena agreed.

The hooded man nodded. "Let's go."

We split up, one group heading to the Fortress Orphanage, and the other heading to Armory. I slipped my hand into Zelda's, giving her a comforting smile.

She smiled back slightly, and we crept into the Orphanage quietly. The hooded man followed us carefully, watching our backs. Zelda led the way, knowing exactly where Nabila's room was.

We sneaked into the room, cautious of any adults that would try to stop us, or worse – try to throw us back into the dungeons. Zelda knelt at Nabila's bedside and whispered into her ear softly, "Nabila – Please wake up, sweetie. It's Zelda."

Nabila stirred in her bed before sitting up, blinking sleepily. "Zelda?" she questioned. "Link?"

"Sweetie, remember when I said that I would take you with me if I ever had to go back to the Castle?" Zelda asked, smoothing Nabila's fiery red hair.

Nabila nodded blearily, still half asleep.

"I'm going back now, and I want to take you with me," Zelda whispered, drawing the girl close. They truly looked like sisters in that instance, regardless of their skin color or hair. They both had a similar vulnerability, which was what had brought them together.

"OK," Nabila whispered back. "Let's go." She got out of her bed and placed her hand in Zelda's free hand.

"You done?" the hooded man questioned.

Zelda nodded. "We can go now."

The four of us left the Orphanage without incident and went to the Fortress Armory in search of Nabs, Aziz, and Relena. They met us halfway, looking extremely urgent. Relena handed me my crossbow and a quiver full of arrows. "You guys have to leave _now_."

"Wait – You're not coming with us?" I questioned, my eyes narrowing at my friend.

Relena shook her head quickly. "No, I can't. Maybe I'll escape some other time, but the priority right now is to help you all escape. You are all so much more important than me."

"We'll come back for you; we promise," Zelda spoke up; her hands were still in mine and Nabila's.

"I won't hold you to that," Relena offered a small smile. "Don't worry about me. Now go!" she exclaimed, gesturing for us to make our escape.

We made no protest and took flight, running out to the Fortress gate. Nabs unlocked it, and we all took note of the guards at the top of the wall top. We escaped easily, and Nabs snorted. "If we ever come back, I'm gonna have to do some _major_ work in the security department."

I rolled my eyes. "Agreed."

"C'mon, we don't have time for this!" the hooded man commanded.

We all nodded in agreement and began to run. Aziz and I took turns carrying Nabila because she couldn't run as quickly as us adults. It was also increasingly difficult to make our getaway with all our weapons.

We sprinted and walked through the cold Desert until around 10 in the morning. We had been walking for roughly seven hours and were all dead tired, but we pressed on and kept going, knowing that once Ganondorf and Ren found us missing, search parties would be sent out in pursuit of us.

Finally, at around noon, we stopped for a rest. We sat down in the sand, resting our sore limbs. Nabila immediately fell asleep in Zelda's arms, completely tired from our escape.

I narrowed my eyes at the hooded man. "I think we all deserve an introduction."

The hooded man chuckled huskily and fingered the material of his covering. "Oh, really?"

I nodded. "Uh, yeah…" I answered, as if stating the obvious.

I held my breath as the man began pulling down the hood that concealed his identity. "Because you so want to know, Link, I am –"

* * *

 **Wow – This chapter was so much fun to write… I felt kinda bad for the cliffhanger, but it was so much FUN to write! I am working on the next chapter and cracking up because I am such a dork. =D I am also SO bad at confrontations. I kinda used Zelda and Aziz to speed the whole thing up… Guilty as charged! =P**

 **Also, I'm sorry for all the rampant OCs. I kinda can't help it because I need certain characters to fulfill certain roles, so I just create them. Plus, you gotta admit, my OCs** ** _are_** **pretty lovable. – at least I hope they are… O.O**

 **I was SO mad with FFN! It was making all my line breaks disappear, so I had to use smiley faces as line breaks! What has the world come to?! AAAAH! OK, I'm done with my rant on how I hate the way FFN works sometimes... :)**

 **Anyways, thanks so much for reading! Please hit that subscribe button, and also, if you feel so inclined, drop a review down below. It makes my day. :) Anyways, I love you all so much! This story has gone pretty far, and I hope to see it continue to grow, with your help. Thanks again! See you Tuesday! :D *smiles***

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **3,022**


	8. Chapter VII

**Hey peeps! Um… I don't know if anyone caught this, but there was a major inconsistency in the prologue or first chapter or something where the voice – who we now know is Sheik – mentions the king along with someone named "Frederick." Yeah, his name is actually Arvid. Oops… If you ever see any inconsistencies, please feel free to review or PM me… Especially since these Roman numerals are mind-boggling. ;)**

* * *

"I am Sheik," the figure stated, lifting his hood, revealing a young man of around my stature with wheat-colored hair and piercing red eyes. His voice was gravelly and husky, and he wore a cowl over his mouth, muffling his speech slightly.

Zelda's ocean blue eyes flickered over to mine briefly before she spoke. "My brother," she added, drawing close to Sheik. She passed Nabila to Nabooru, and Sheik pulled her into a hug, and she rested a head on his chest. "Are you OK, big brother?" she asked, lifting her head a bit in order to look up at Sheik.

I wasn't expecting this turn of events, but I supposed it _did_ make sense. I felt a twinge of jealousy pang through my heart but quickly reminded myself that Sheik was her brother, and that they had been parted for quite some time, Zelda being a hostage at a foreign Fortress.

"I'm fine, Zel," Sheik responded, hugging her back closely. He kissed the top of her head and smoothed down her frizzy blonde hair.

I felt sticky from sweat, and little beads of perspiration rolled down my forehead. I wiped the back of my hand across my forehead, still watching the scene before me unfold.

"What's going on with everyone at home?" Zelda questioned, her voice cracking slightly. I could tell she was stressed out, as we all were. She pushed strands of sweaty blonde hair away from her face, and her brows furrowed in concern.

"Actually, Father still hasn't noticed that you're gone; Katrin has, however, and is becoming suspicious," Sheik answered.

Zelda sighed slightly in relief. "Have they hurt you at all, Sheik?" Her voice was full of concern and love for her brother.

Sheik shook his head. "I'm unharmed, though Arvid did attempt to chop my head off," he chuckled shallowly.

"Sheik!" Zelda exclaimed, "He almost used a sword against you?" her blue eyes filled with tears. "How could he?"

"The same way he and Father could beat you without any remorse or regret," Sheik responded. "But don't worry, Zelda. I'll always be here to protect you."

"As will I," I added in boldly.

Zelda cast a soft smile my way. "Thank you both so much." She gave Sheik one last hug before turning to face me. She then wrapped her arms around me, and I responded in a similar fashion. She laid her head on my chest like how she had done when with Sheik.

She was engulfed in my arms, and I could feel Sheik looking upon us fondly. "You're Reneer and Kirstin Adema's son, aren't you?" he asked, his red eyes piercing my cobalt ones.

I hesitated for a second then nodded when Zelda nodded inconspicuously against my chest. "I believe so."

"You'll one day meet them, I'm sure," Sheik gave a small smile.

"I hope so," I agreed. "Are you the one in Zelda's room that one night?" I asked curiously.

Sheik threw back his head and laughed. "Yes, I was. I was checking up on my little sister. It had taken some time to find her, but I had. Imagine my surprise when someone comes to the door and starts asking for Zelda."

Zelda giggled a bit. "We were startled, and Sheik spoke up before I could stop him."

"I was very confused over that for a while, so I'm glad that was cleared up," I answered, chuckling as well. I then looked over to where Nabila had curled up with Nabs, both asleep. Aziz was slumped next to them, offering them support, slumbering as well.

Sheik chuckled huskily. "I guess we might as well make camp here and rest for a while. I can take first shift. We can only remain here for a short time, though, because those search parties will be on our trail if we hesitate here for too long."

I nodded in agreement. "Hopefully they won't be able to find our trail because the sand is constantly moving. I'm hoping that the sand will actually work in our favor for once and cover our tracks."

"Agreed," Sheik nodded. "Now get some rest. I'll wake you up when it's your turn to keep watch. We'll only be staying here for a couple of hours."

Zelda huddled against Nabooru and Nabila, while I spread myself out on the burning sand. I wiped some of the sweat off my brow, laying my weapon to the side, to the point where I wouldn't be able to accidentally injure myself while still being able to reach it quickly if we were attacked.

"Good night, Zelda," I stated, ready to drop off into slumber. I received no response, for Zelda was already asleep. I stretched my exhausted limbs once more, knowing that Sheik was somewhere, keeping close vigil over us.

My eyes closed slowly, and before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Link," someone whispered into my ear.

I woke up with a start, blinking my eyes blearily. "Sheik?" I asked.

Sheik handed me my crossbow. "Your turn," he passed me a weak smile.

I groaned. "I suffered from a blow to the head, Sheik! Do I have to?"

"I could always have Zelda serve a shift," Sheik shrugged nonchalantly, moving as if to go wake his little sister.

"Wait, Sheik, I'll go," I answered grumpily. I accepted my crossbow and squinted against the sun's brilliant rays.

"OK – If you need any help, just wake me. I'm a light sleeper, unlike you," Sheik chuckled a bit, offering a hand to help me up. The warrior then sprawled on the warm sand, not complaining at his undesirable bed's temperature.

I wiped beads of sweat off my brow and glanced at the sun. From its position, I assumed that it was around 3 PM right now. We would have to leave in a good couple of hours, but, for now at least, it was still the hottest part of the day.

My crossbow remained at my side, and I made a loop walking around our makeshift camp. I was so thirsty, but, in our haste to get away, we hadn't grabbed any sort of water or provisions, which would have come in handy right about now.

I walked around, keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious. Rolling sand dunes surrounded us, and we were a great distance away from the Fortress by now. There was nothing in sight but sand and the brilliant blue sky.

I licked my lips to give them some form of moisture and narrowed my eyes. This was so boring! How was Sheik able to do this for three hours? My eyes began to droop, but I willed them to remain open. I forced my stiff legs to move forward, urging my body to proceed. I walked, my eyes glazing over.

I kept vigil, while remaining half asleep. I was legitimately trying to stay awake, but sleep seemed so insistent. My head was throbbing, and it was a battle just trying to lift my foot up in order to take another step forward.

My thoughts then drifted to Zelda, of course. She lay there, her blonde hair splayed about, dripping in perspiration, but, to me, she looked beautiful. She truly did have that exotic beauty, similar to the caged bird.

I walked for some time, trying to stay awake. I thought of many things, including Zelda, the ocean, Sheik, the Fortress, Ren, Ganondorf, and even my parents. I was so excited to meet them eventually. I hoped they were both in good health and that we would be able to reunite one day very soon.

On my next round, I noticed a faint dot on the top of a faraway dune. I thought nothing of it, supposing that I was merely seeing things. However, each time I made a round, the dot seemed to get closer and closer.

Before long, I realized that I was seeing things – And those things were very real. I squinted as the dot was no longer just a dot, but a pack of people.

I forced my limbs to quickly run to where Sheik was, sleeping. "Sheik!" I exclaimed.

Sheik was up before I had even said anything; he really was a light sleeper. "What's going on, Link?" his hands were on a set of daggers before I could even say a word.

"There's a group of people somewhere just beyond that dune! What if they're a search party?" I asked, becoming slightly nervous. Half of our group was female, and I, a male, was recovering from an injury!

Nabooru and Aziz were up in an instant as well, hands on their own weapons. "What do you mean, Link?" Nabs questioned; there was an unfamiliar glint in her amber eyes – She almost looked – excited…

Scratch that – The females in our group were _capable_ females. They could probably inflict more harm on others, especially since they were actually well-rested, unlike us poor men. OK, that was my masculinity talking there. Kidding!

"Look, in the distance!" I pointed to the advancing group of people.

Aziz held a compound bow ready, and a full quiver of arrows was slung over his shoulder. "Let's do this," he stated readily.

Zelda stood, as did Nabila, who looked incredibly weary. Zelda's ocean blue eyes questioned me silently.

"Intruders," was all I said, and both Zelda and Nabila understood the gravity of the situation. Everyone grabbed their weapons, all of us still tired and in need of rest.

"Everyone ready?" Sheik questioned, knowing full well that we were all not in any way shape or form ready – except for Sheik himself and Nabs, who looked like she was ready to pounce.

"Need water," Aziz croaked comically. Nabs socked him in the arm, while the rest of us laughed. But we all knew that we _were_ in desperate need of water.

We then sobered as the group approached. We all gave a nod before going in for the attack, keeping Nabila toward the middle, as she really not ready to fight yet.

"Hey, get your hands off us, you filthy Gerudo!" one of the people screamed.

We limited everything to fists, not actually using our various weapons, which were more for show than actually inflicting damage on people. That's when my brain fully registered what the person had said. They had called us filthy Gerudo, and, while the Gerudo were definitely not filthy, the exclamation made me relax. These people were not Gerudo; therefore they were not part of a search party.

"Everyone!" I commanded. "Hold your fire!"

Everyone froze where they were, and I took a good look at the group we had attacked. My eyes bulged.

"You're that group of Zoras that was wandering near the Fortress!" both Nabs and Aziz exclaimed in realization.

One of the Zoras looked at us like we were dumb. "Uh, yeah," he rolled his eyes, as though Zoras wandering through the Desert was the most common and natural thing in the world.

"What do you want with us?" a female Zora asked, who appeared to be the leader. She had a commanding stance and a loud voice, both key indicators of a woman in control, like Nabs. "I recognize you," she pointed at Nabs. "You're the one that told us to leave! What do you want? We left your Fortress!"

I weighed our options and decided not to lie. They deserved to know the truth; after all, we had been the ones to attack them first. Besides, they might have been able to help us. "We're trying to _escape_ the Gerudo," I finally stated.

The Zora leader watched me skeptically, waiting for me to continue. "And? Why should we believe you?"

"Please, we are in need of your help," Zelda stated boldly. "We don't mean you any harm or ill will."

Another female Zora stepped up; she looked exactly like the Zora leader. "I am hesitant to believe you because of the harm and ill will the Gerudo showed us."

Nabs cleared her throat. "I want to formally apologize for that incident. My adoptive father can be extremely dense, rude, hurtful, and offensive, all traits that my adoptive brother and I have experienced firsthand, which is partially why we're on the run now."

"Couldn't have worded it better myself, Nabs," I responded, nodding my head in agreement.

"We are the Wanderers," the second female Zora stated. "My sister and I are the leaders of this band, appointed by the King of Zoras, King Zane, himself."

"We have chosen this life ourselves, each individually, mostly in pursuit of adventure. We wished to seek haven and shelter at the Gerudo Fortress for one night before we continued our travels; however, we received less than a kind welcome," the first leader continued.

"We understand that," Sheik cut in. "But, look at us. Half of this company is Hylians, not Gerudo. And those that are Gerudo simply wish to get away from the Fortress, the Desert, and Lord Ganondorf, who is a sorry excuse for a king."

The two leaders turned their backs on us and began to talk and converse with the rest of their band, contemplating whether or not they should offer their help and services to us.

It was then that I realized that Sheik had called me a Hylian, not a Gerudo. It both made me happy, yet it also pained me. To know that I could no longer relate to Nabs, Aziz, and Nabila in the same way as before hurt me, and I could only hope that they wouldn't treat me differently, knowing my true identity as a Hylian.

"You OK, Link?" Aziz questioned, noticing my conflicted expression.

I offered him a half smile and nodded in return. "I'm fine. I'll explain when we have time and this ordeal is resolved."

The two Zora leaders turned around to face us once more; the whole band was smiling, and I supposed that was a good thing. "Welcome to the Wanderers," the first female stated, offering to shake Nabooru's hand as a sign that she harbored no ill feelings about Ganondorf's refusal of shelter for them.

"I am Marine, and my sister is Aqua," the second Zora also shook Nabs's hand with a smile.

I grinned at Zelda. Things were finally starting to – kind of, at least – look up.

* * *

We integrated our group with the Wanderers, and things got better by a lot. The Wanderers had provisions and water and everything we had been needing. I let water from a bottle trickle down my face unceremoniously, and a Zora watched in amusement.

"From my guess, I'd probably say that your nasty king is already searching for you. What a disgusting double-crosser!" Aqua exclaimed. She, Nabs, Zelda, and Marine had already become fast friends, all discussing the situation we had narrowly escaped.

"It was a pretty awful," Nabs agreed.

"But I think everything is still so sweet!" Marine gushed. "I mean, you ran away from your evil father, and now you can marry your true love! It's like a fairy tale!" she sighed dreamily.

Aziz flushed slightly from where he was walking on my right side.

Aqua rolled her eyes. "Marine always was the romantic one out of all of us."

"You know," Marine began, striking up a new topic, "There are seven of us in total – all girls."

Aziz groaned softly from beside me. "I feel bad for their father."

I nudged Aziz. "Why are we listening to their conversation? They're girls."

Nabila giggled from beside me. "Silly Link! I'm a girl." She then skipped over to where another little Zora girl was walking, all by herself. I watched as Nabila struck up a conversation with her. "That's my big sister, Zelda!" Nabila stated, pointing to the Hylian Princess blatantly.

I tuned out of that conversation as well, turning to Aziz and Sheik. "So, where are we headed, Sheik?" I asked.

"I think Aqua and Marine wanted to take us to Zora Domain to introduce us to their father and gazillion sisters. She said that their eldest sister, Ruto, might be interested in you, Link," Sheik responded, as a mischievous grin spread across his face.

I groaned. "Oh, please – Be quiet, Sheik! You might hurt yourself if you talk too much!"

Sheik rolled his eyes, unamused. He was much easier to talk to now, and he had opened up to us much quicker than Zelda had. I supposed it was the circumstances surrounding our meeting. We had all met under pain and conflict, causing us to look to each other for support.

"So, when do you plan to become my brother, huh, Aziz?" I asked, half teasingly and half in earnest. I elbowed him slightly.

Aziz flushed slightly again, which I noticed always happened whenever someone mentioned Nabs. "Link, you know as well as I do that we have to get away from Ganondorf before we can even _think_ about the wedding."

"You should get married in the Domain," Sheik suggested jokingly.

"That actually might not be such a bad idea," Zelda stated, popping up from between me and Sheik. "I know that Nabs wants to get married as soon as possible. You _should_ get married once we arrive at the Domain – Great idea, Sheik. Cherish this moment; you know you don't have many like it."

"Zelda," Sheik growled softly, his eyes darkening.

Zelda let out a small squeak and ducked behind me. Sheik caught on and swiftly attempted to lock her in a hug. Zelda laughed and broke free; Sheik then began to chase her around, while still remaining with the group.

Both Zelda and Sheik couldn't stop laughing, and neither could me and Aziz. Seeing Zelda so carefree and happy made me happy, and, soon, I joined in the pursuit. After a while, Aziz and Nabs joined, as did Nabila and her new friend.

Soon, our whole company was reduced to a bunch of people, ranging from preteens to young adults playing tag in the Desert. Thoughts of the Gerudo and those actually pursuing us completely slipped our mind. We were able to be free, and, for a moment, it really felt as though I was flying.

Sheik and I finally succeeded in trapping Zelda in a hug, and we all burst into laughter. That had been so much fun – And who knew that Zelda was that fast?

Aqua, breathless and winded from chasing Marine, whom we'd found out was her identical twin sister, tried to stand up straight once more and appear stern. "Now, what do you think you all are doing? We need to get going!" she exclaimed.

The company merged together once more, and we began walking as we had been before. I noticed we were headed North, where the Domain and Lake Hylia was located.

Well, so much for heading the Castle…

* * *

 **Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed that chapter… Just as a note, I never thought I'd be using Zoras, but as I continued fleshing out my plot and storyline, I figured that finding Zoras in the Gerudo Desert would be too hilarious, and I just couldn't resist. ;P**

 **Also, what do you all think of Sheik? I was kinda trying to figure out the best way to introduce him, and I wanted him to be really serious and over-protective, although you can obviously see otherwise in this chapter. :) I'm also SO predictable everyone probably knew it was going to be Sheik…**

 **Big shoutout to my reviewing buddy, Night Watcher 7, for reviewing** ** _every single_** **chapter! Thanks so much, and you should go check out my reviewing buddy's story:** ** _Legend of Zelda: Essence of a Hero_** **. Its really great and well-written, and I'd be so happy if you'd give your support for that. ;D Yes, I am shamelessly advertising. :)**

 **Another shoutout to the guest reviewer,** **AnriMia24** **, for also reviewing for a great deal of my story. It means a lot, and I always look forward to your reviews on the latest chapters I post - *hearts* 3**

 **If you have any character requests, feel free to tell me so in a review. ;) I have a lot in mind for this story, and I want you guys to all be a part of it. So, yeah – character requests. Thanks to anyone that has read, favorited, followed, and reviewed. You guys are the best! :) *smiles***

 **~Elsie**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **3,139**


	9. Chapter VIII

We arrived at Zora's Domain, grimy, sweaty, and in desperate need of a bath. Thankfully, the Domain was centered on the Zora's chief need for water.

The Domain was huge, complete with what seemed to be natural structures made of rock and pools of water. The water was crystal blue and pristine, and I felt my knees grow weak at the sight. I longed to jump in those wonderful waters right then and there, but Aqua and Marine held us back.

"We would like to introduce you to our father first before you all have a shower," Aqua motioned for us to follow her. The rest of the group dispersed, leaving just our original group with the addition of Aqua and Marine.

I sighed inwardly but knew that it was for the best. I glanced over at Zelda, who looked all but happy at this moment. She gazed at the clear, blue water one last time before turning to face me with a slight smile. This was going to be hard for both of us – to be so grimy and disgusting with water within reach – Yeah, this was hard.

I fought all my urges to turn around, racing to the water, and instead followed Marine and Aqua as they walked to what I supposed was the Zora equivalent of the Gerudo and Hylian "throne room."

"Aqua! Marine!" came a sickeningly sweet call.

I cringed, as did the rest of our group, besides Nabila, who just so happened to be chatting away with her new friend. "Who's that?" I questioned.

"I don't know – But do I want to?" Aziz scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Nabs placed a hand on his arm, "You're taken already, Aziz. You know that. Let whoever it is chase Sheik – or Link."

I saw Zelda's eyes darken slightly and wondered if the cause of her actions was Nabs mentioning me or Sheik… I certainly hoped it was me, but I wasn't exactly sure why…

Four female Zoras at various stages of adolescence and early adulthood came storming through to where we were standing, all crushing the Zora twins in a very large group hug. "Aw, Aqua! Marine! Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" one squealed.

"Yeah! You've been gone for ages! What do you find so fascinating about having 'adventures' anyways?" another added.

We Gerudos and Hylians stepped away from the group inconspicuously, exchanging glances warily as the screeching and squealing continued. All I wanted was to take a shower! – or a swim…

Marine giggled. "OK, girlies. Calm down. We know you've missed us a ton – as you should – But we have to speak to Daddy really quickly. We have a question for him."

"Yeah," Aqua agreed, "Now can please get off of us? It's not like we've been gone for years or something like that."

All four of the girls turned and gave her side eyes.

Aqua threw her hands in the air dramatically. "OK! OK! So maybe we have been gone for a few years – So what?"

Aziz cleared his throat awkwardly, gaining all the girls' attention. "Where did you find him, Sis?" one of the girls exclaimed.

"Back up – He's mine," Nabs barked quickly, her eyes narrowing. She threw a possessive arm around Aziz's shoulder.

All the girls sighed disappointedly until they noticed me and Sheik. One look in their eyes, and Sheik and I took off into a fast-paced run, not stopping even when Zelda called out to us. Soon, Zelda joined us, and we ran to the water.

We ducked underneath the surface of the water before we were actually pulled through an underwater passageway by a slight current. We arrived, sputtering at a completely different location. We gazed about us in shock, wondering where we were now.

"Uh – Was that such a good idea, guys?" Zelda questioned, her voice shaking slightly.

"Yes!" I exclaimed. "Some of those looked at us as though we were pieces of meat! Creepy! I'm not getting near one of them!" I declared, and Zelda's look of relief didn't slip my notice.

"Hey, at least we can take a bath now," Zelda stated, wading in the water. Her red silk dress was completely soaked, now not only with sweat, but with water as well. Her golden blonde bangs matted to her forehead, but she still looked beautiful to me. She began splashing water at me, and I was taken aback by her sudden playfulness.

I had rarely seen this playful side of her, so it was still relatively new to me. I chuckled before returning the action. Zelda's lips parted slightly in shock, but she recovered quickly, splashing me once more with no mercy.

Sheik had remained quiet for a bit before his piercing red eyes lit up in realization. "I know where we are!" he exclaimed.

Zelda and I paused our splashing game for a moment, glancing at him. "Where are we?" we both questioned in unison.

"Lake Hylia," he responded, and my eyes also lit up in realization. Was this what the real ocean would be like? If so, then I loved it already.

"I've never been here before, Sheik," Zelda stated, her voice awed. Her ocean blue eyes eagerly gazed about her, taking in the new scenery.

"I haven't either," Sheik nodded. "I only remember this from the images in some of the books I used to read. Father used to always take only Arvid during diplomatic trips to the Zora. He used to say that I would never have enough patience to deal with everyone here. I guess he was right." He rolled his eyes.

"For the first time in forever, huh?" Zelda joked, earning a glare from Sheik.

"Are we going to go back to the Domain any time soon?" I questioned, not especially wanting to go back to those squealing girls.

"Oh, yeah! We were supposed to go to see the king!" Zelda nodded. "We should head back now before people start looking for us…" She made her way back to the passageway, and Sheik and I followed reluctantly, groaning.

" _Great_ ," I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, at least the Zoras are being hospitable toward us. You know that they weren't obligated to do so, considering the way Ganondorf treated them prior to our actual meeting," Zelda stated, once again reminding me to see the good in a situation and to be grateful.

We entered the passageway and returned to the Domain, where Nabs, Aziz, Nabila, her friend, the twins, and the other female Zoras were searching for us. When we arrived, Aqua face-palmed. "How did I not think to check Lake Hylia?!"

"Because you're not that smart?" Marine provided cheekily.

"Because you're not helping?" Aqua replied in a similar fashion, her eyes smoldering.

"Love you too, Sis," Marine grinned. "Now, let's go see Dad and tell him we're back." She and Aqua began to lead us to the throne room. A male Zora sat atop the throne, peering down at us skeptically as we approached. He then rubbed his eyes, as if to make sure it was really his twin daughters that had been gone for years, leading a band of fellow wanderers.

"Aqua? Marine?" he questioned. He rubbed his eyes once more before his eyes lit up in delight. "You're really here?"

"Yes, Daddy, we're back," Marine giggled. She climbed up the throne to give her father a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, Dad. Long time no see, eh?" Aqua greeted her father with more brusque words; however her actions were just as tender as her sister's.

"My two twin daughters!" King Zane exclaimed, overjoyed.

I shifted my weight awkwardly, gazing down at the floor. I felt like an intruder at such a momentous family instance. I glanced to the side to see Zelda, Sheik, Nabs, and Aziz acting in a similar fashion.

"Daddy!" came another ear-piercing call. I'm telling you, by the time we left the Domain, I'd be able to have more than fifty piercings from all the various squealing females. Mental note, female Zoras enjoy screeching. Ugh.

"Ruto!" Zane exclaimed in return. "Come see! Your sisters, Marine and Aqua have arrived back at the Domain after their long period of wandering. What say you, girls? Are you done with that lifestyle? You know that I would be more than happy to arrange a marriage for either of you with any of the male Zoras around the Domain."

"Um, Dad?" Marine cut in. "We're going to keep on wandering. It's in our blood. We actually weren't coming back until we met with these folks," she motioned to us.

King Zane turned his attention toward us, taking notice of us for the first time since we had arrived. "Who are you?" he asked suspiciously.

I prepared to speak, but Sheik motioned for me to be quiet. "King Zane, I am Sheik, Prince of Hyrule, and this is Zelda, my sister, Princess of Hyrule," he stated, gesturing at us each in turn. "This is Link, Crown Prince of the Gerudo, and this is Nabooru, Princess of the Gerudo. This young man is Princess Nabooru's fiancé."

Nabs looked slightly repulsed at being called "princess," in correlation to Ganondorf and Ren. I silently hoped that she would refrain from commenting, at least right now. Thankfully, she held her tongue, albeit reluctantly.

King Zane's eyes lit up at the mention of the words, "prince" and "princess." Gee, I wonder what he has in mind now. "Ruto!" he called again, seeing as the girl had yet to show up.

"Daddy!" exclaimed a female Zora that descended down a staircase into the throne room. Her eyes immediately flitted over to me and Sheik, and we exchanged uneasy glances. Not another one! "And who's this?" she asked, and I was instantly repulsed, as Nabs had been a few seconds ago.

"Get ready to run if you have to," Sheik hissed out of the corner of his mouth.

I nodded silently, not liking the way this was going as the girl – Ruto, I presumed – stared at us. "OK," I whispered back.

"Daddy! Have you finally found some decent suitors?" the Ruto girl screeched. She clasped her hands in an odd fashion, and I groaned. This was not happening – This was something I would probably have in a nightmare, not in real life!

I glanced over at Zelda and Nabs, and they both looked equally disgusted. Nabs clung to Aziz possessively, giving "Ruto" a once-over. "You're talking about my brother here!" both Zelda and Nabs exclaimed at the same time.

"Well, if they're your brothers, then you can give your full consent to our possible courtship and union. I would go with either one of them, although I think I like that one more," Ruto stated nonchalantly, pointing at me. Ew! Disgusting!

"Ruto!" Aqua and Marine both protested. "Cut it out!" Aqua added.

"Why?" Ruto taunted. "You jealous that I have _two_ suitors, and you both have none?"

I coughed awkwardly. "I hate to break it to you, but I don't think we ever stated that we were here to pursue courtship with you, Princess."

"What?!" Ruto exclaimed. "Then be gone!" she added, flailing her arms about unattractively. She glared daggers at me and Sheik. Yikes; if looks could kill, Sheik and I would be dead right now. She tossed her head haughtily before turning to her father once more.

Sheik and I shifted our feet uncomfortably, exchanging glances. I cleared my throat and moved a bit closer to Zelda. "She kinda creeping you out too?" I asked Zelda out of the corner of my mouth.

Zelda stifled a giggle, her countenance lifting considerably. I hadn't realized how miserable she had been looking until her expression had changed. I slipped my hand in hers inconspicuously, offering support. She leaned on my shoulder slightly, and I pulled her a little bit closer.

"Daddy – We're not here for a wedding of our own," Marine began.

Aqua cut her off, as was her custom. "Princess Nabooru and Aziz are getting married, and they want their wedding here in the Domain!"

King Zane looked slightly more appeased at the mere mention of a wedding at all. He sat back in his throne, and a look of resignation took over his countenance. It appeared as though he had been urging his daughters to marry for quite some time. "All right," he stated easily.

Aqua and Marine didn't look the least bit surprised; they simply looked satisfied. "Thanks, Dad," they responded in unison.

"Yes, thank you, King Zane," Nabs added. She looked surprised at the Zora king's quick approval of the twins' proposal.

"Preparations begin now," the king declared, not even bothering to acknowledge Nabs's expression of gratitude. "Oh, and congratulations to you both," he stated to Nabs and Aziz, almost as though it were an afterthought. He clapped his hands exaggeratedly, and two female Zora attendants came, whisking Nabs away.

"Well, that's taken care of," Zelda giggled slightly, though it wasn't the silvery laugh I had grown to love. It was sadder, as though she was purposely trying to remain happy for Nabs, while not making it obvious that she was hurting.

"Zel," I whispered, pulling her aside. I placed a hand underneath her chin, lifting it gently so that her ocean blue eyes would meet my own cobalt. "What's wrong?" I realized how broken my own voice must sound, and I swallowed the lump in the back of my throat.

She brushed some of her blonde bangs away from her face, refusing to look directly into my eyes, keeping them on the floor. I noticed that small tears were forming in her eyes. "Zel?" I asked hoarsely.

She then lifted her eyes to meet my own ever so slowly. "I – don't know what to say, Link."

I captured her other hand, grasping both of her small, slender hands in my own hard, rough ones. "Just tell me what's wrong," I answered, searching her ocean blue irises. They had a certain depth to them, and I tried to discern what they were trying to communicate to me. They spoke volumes, and I would probably have an easier time figuring out what was wrong with her had I been able to interpret the messages her stormy blue eyes were sending.

"I – I don't know how!" Zelda exclaimed in return. Her voice cracked, and her brows furrowed. I could tell that she was stressed from the way she bit her bottom lip, as I had observed over the past few weeks – or was it months? I had pretty much lost count of how long Zelda had been in my life from the first night when Ganondorf wanted me to decide her fate.

That's when the barrier broke, and tears began slipping down her porcelain cheeks, staining them slightly. She sobbed, and I pulled her into my arms, holding her close. She cried into my chest, and I just held her, rocking us back and forth.

This seemed to comfort her, but only a little bit. Tears still coursed down her pretty face, and, before long, I began to cry along with her, though I didn't know why. I laid my head on hers, still holding her close to me.

"Link," she tried to speak through her sobs. She murmured softly, but I couldn't understand what she was saying. She then gave up, beginning to cry afresh.

"Um, Prince Link of the Gerudo and Princess Zelda of Hyrule?" a voice asked.

I turned to face a male Zora with a straight face. He seemed to be oblivious to the fact that we were having a heart-to-heart moment. I mean, did he not see Zelda in tears? Was he that blind? "Yeah?" I questioned, irritated, both at being caught crying and ruining my moment with Zelda.

"I'm sorry to appear callous, but Princess Nabooru requested for your presence in her quarters, Princess Zelda," the Zora stated. He motioned to another female Zora by his side, "Aerwyna will escort you to Princess Nabooru's quarters with your consent, Princess."

Zelda nodded tearfully, trying to wipe her eyes free from the remainder of her tears. "Alright; I'm sorry, Link." She turned to leave with the female attendant, Aerwyna.

"Wait – Zelda – We will talk later, right?" I asked, hating how vulnerable I sounded. An image of that caged bird briefly popped into my mind, unbidden, but I chose to brush it aside. "Please?" I added, hoping to get through to her somehow.

She sighed, her back still turned on me. "Maybe," she stated noncommittally. She walked off, beginning to find Nabs's temporary quarters, led by Aerwyna.

I sighed, watching her leave, knowing how persistent she could be. If she didn't want to talk, then she _didn't_ want to talk, and _nothing_ would be able to make her change her mind.

"Prince Link, King Zane has requested that I show you around the Domain," the Zora stated.

"OK," I sighed again, "And – What's your name again?" I asked.

"I never gave it to you," he responded. I didn't think he was intending to sound harsh, but he did sound quite cold.

"COVE!" came a loud call. I whipped around to find Marine running quickly, panting. "I've been looking everywhere for you!" she exclaimed.

"I guess that answers that question," I chuckled to myself aloud. So this guy's name was Cove. He didn't act like a servant, and I remembered – He was another member of the Wanderers. That made more sense, although I didn't know how I didn't catch his name before then.

"Cove!" Marine called again. She pulled Cove into an embrace, her eyes shining. That's when another thing clicked – Marine loved Cove… Cove responded by pulling her even closer to him, and I knew that the feelings were mutual and reciprocated.

I watched them with interest, not taking into consideration that I was acting was similar to how Cove had acted during my moment with Zelda. I cleared my throat awkwardly, suddenly realizing that I was intruding on their moment. "I'll just go, I guess."

"No, no, Link!" Marine responded. "Cove and I have to give you that tour!" She was obviously a ball of energy, excited about everything. She held Cove's hand, bouncing up and down with enthusiasm.

Cove seemed used to her antics and simply let his arm go limp as Marine jerked it up and down. "Let's go then."

"If you don't mind," I shrugged. I took a quick glance at the throne room and noticed that King Zane was observing us with interest. My eyes widened as I realized that he had probably been watching my encounter with Zelda as well.

"C'mon, Marine, Prince Link," Cove commanded, still holding Marine's hand. Marine dragged him eagerly, and I followed behind them, chuckling. They were an interesting couple for sure with Cove's seriousness and Marine's constant cheerfulness and joy.

They led me all throughout the Domain and Lake Hylia, showing me all of their favorite spots and locations. They turned out to be excellent tour guides working together, their weaknesses and strengths balancing each other out.

Besides learning more about the Domain, Lake Hylia, and the history of the Zora, I also learned more about Marine and Cove as people. In my opinion, they were a great couple, and I smiled. Serious Cove was actually a very funny comedian with a more dry and witty humor than Marine's especial appreciation and love for goofy and corny humor.

I laughed at another one of Cove's sarcastic responses to Marine's exaggerating comment about the beauty of the Domain. Their chemistry was too hilarious, and I decided that I forgave Cove for his harshness during our initial meeting.

"Well," Marine began, "I guess we should head back now; it's getting late, and I want to see what progress everyone has made for Nabooru and Aziz's wedding. But that was fun!" she added, her eyes twinkling.

"It was," I admitted with a nod. The tour had been full of jokes, comments, and fun. I hadn't felt like a third wheel at all, which was a plus.

"I suppose we'll see you soon, Link?" Cove asked; his hand was still entwined with Marine's.

"Sure," I nodded. "See you guys around."

Cove and Marine walked off together like the lovebirds they were, and I wandered back to the throne room. Luckily, Aziz and Sheik were there, standing near the throne, talking to King Zane and Aqua. An odd feeling panged in my heart, but I shook it off. I had hoped that Zelda had been with them, but she was not. The odd feeling was still present, but I attempted to shrug it off and joined the conversation going on at the throne.

* * *

 **Hey guys! I made it! Chapter VIII! Yay! While writing this chapter, I listened to "Insomniac" and "Lazarus" by Trip Lee on repeat. I love his album,** ** _Rise_** **! So... yeah... Can you believe that we have actually made it to at the minimum quarter mark for this book? Wow... I feel so proud. I literally have over 26,000 words documented right now, and I want this to be at least 100,000 words...**

 **So, yeah. Please subscribe, and, if you feel so inclined, please drop a review down below. It means a lot and gives me inspiration. :) See you Tuesday! *smiles* ;D**

 **~Elsie**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **3,450**


	10. Chapter IX

"How's everything going with the wedding planning, Aziz?" I asked after making small talk with the others for some time. We, along with Sheik, broke away from the group forming near the throne with Aqua and some of her sisters.

"The wedding is scheduled for a week from today," Aziz answered back.

I turned to face him and stared. "What? A week from today?" I questioned. I didn't have a ton of experience with weddings, but weren't they supposed to take longer to plan?

Aziz nodded tiredly. "Yup. No clue how we're going to pull it off, though. I don't really like these people," he grumbled. "They won't let me talk to Nabs and insist that I need to be fitted for my suit."

Sheik shrugged. "Well, at least you got it out of the way. Now, you're no longer needed for anything. They'll make your suit, Nabs will plan the wedding with Zelda's help, and then you two will get married."

"I suppose," Aziz agreed wearily.

"Was it _really_ that draining?" I asked, chuckling to myself. I never would have thought that I would see Aziz, whom I had thought of as a second father or older brother, marry my older sister. This was going to take some getting used to, but I was glad that he would be joining my small family, which pretty much consisted of me, Nabs, and, in some ways, Nabila.

The little girl had made some friends during the few hours we had been at the Domain and was content to sit with them, watching Nabs and Zelda planning and preparing for the wedding.

"Yes!" Aziz replied quickly. "The only reason I stood there is because of my undying love for Nabs!" he added, throwing his hands in the air.

I rolled my eyes, laughing along with Sheik. "You're so dramatic," I stated.

Aziz glared in my direction. "How droll," he answered sarcastically, reminding me of Cove.

"Have you met that guy, Cove?" I asked out of curiosity.

"That guy that was with you and Marine on your tour of the Domain?" Aziz questioned, and I nodded. He merely continued, not waiting for a verbal answer, "You do realize that I've spent the past million years getting fitted for this stupid suit, and you've been with them this entire time."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that," I chuckled awkwardly.

"What do you think about Ganondorf, Link?" Sheik asked abruptly, his voice shattering the comfortable silence that had settled over us for a few seconds.

I turned my attention over to him. "What do you mean? I'm not going back. I _can't_ go back."

"I know, Link," Sheik agreed, "But you do realize that he will come for you. He and Ren will hunt you down. They won't stop at anything until they get what they want, which is to destroy you. Ganondorf for reasons unknown; Ren for revenge and personal gain."

We walked away from the throne room, wandering through a stone passage. I watched torches' flames flicker in their sconces and focused my attention on those blazing tongues of fire reflectively. "Ren and Ganondorf are both like those torches. They hold so much power and potential, but while they're in their sconces, the damage and havoc they could wreak is contained.

"But," I continued, lifting a torch out of its sconce, "Once they're taken out and thrown, the damage is exponential. I won't give an example, but we can't let them get out of control."

"How do we do that?" Aziz asked skeptically. "You _do_ remember who you're talking about, right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I do, Aziz. He's my adoptive father, remember? I _know_ him which is why we have to stop him – as soon as possible."

"I thought you just said that you couldn't go back, Link," Aziz responded.

I nodded. "I can't. But as I said, I _know_ them. They're not going to stop pursuing me until they find, catch, and kill me. Trust me, we'll have the opportunity to stop them."

"I just don't want Zelda to be hurt again. Those jerks – hurting my sister. She's never going to be the same again. She curls up at night and cries. She's so traumatized from my father, my brother, Ganondorf, and Ren," Sheik shook his head.

"What did they do to her?" I asked, not even wanting to think about what they were capable of. My hands curled up into fists.

"They just beat her; it's still shook her up, but they haven't done anything really bad to her," Sheik answered. I furrowed a brow, conveying an unspoken question, and Sheik shook his head. "They haven't done anything like that."

Both Aziz and I sighed in relief. "Good," I stated. "She doesn't deserve any of this. I think, after your wedding, Aziz, Sheik and I should leave the Domain." A plan began formulating in my mind, and the more I thought about it, the more sense it made.

"What do you mean, Link?" Aziz questioned.

We came to a halt in the middle of the passage. I continued to carry the torch because it had suddenly grown very dark. "I think you should stay here at the Domain, Aziz. Stay here with Nabs, Zelda, and Nabila and protect them. Sheik and I should go. I'm the one Ganondorf and Ren wants. I shouldn't put the whole Domain in danger, and I would feel more comfortable with Sheik because I'm pretty inexperienced when it comes to all this warfare and stuff."

"I think I'm starting to like this idea, Link. But where would we go?" Sheik asked.

"I don't know. Maybe we could go to Death Mountain or the Lost Woods or something," I chuckled. No one ever ventured into the Lost Woods or attempted to scale Death Mountain.

Sheik nodded in agreement. "I like that. I have some friends at Death Mountain."

"Wait – I was just joking!" I exclaimed quickly. Was he serious? "What do you mean you have friends at Death Mountain? No one ever goes to Death Mountain!"

"Being a Prince of Hyrule does have some perks, Link," Sheik chuckled. "The Gorons aren't just a myth."

"So you two will leave after the wedding?" Aziz questioned.

"Yes, we will," another voice stated. Several shadows appeared on the wall, and I turned around to face Aqua, Marine, and Cove.

"I don't want to take you away from your family, you guys. Besides, you all just got back," I protested quickly.

Aqua shook her head. "We're ready; Ganondorf will pay for doing this to you and for refusing us shelter. Besides, we're born wanderers. We can't be rooted down somewhere. We need to be ever moving or else we'll get bored."

"We came back here for you guys," Marine added in her sweet voice.

"If you say so," Sheik relented. "Then there will be five of us."

"I do say so," Aqua proclaimed proudly. She took the torch from me.

I watched her in amusement. She was a very assertive girl. "We should probably head back now," I motioned for us to go.

We left; our plans were made, and our minds were set.

* * *

The week flew by with all the wedding preparation, and Sheik, Aqua, Marine, Cove, and I continued making plans for our departure. Then, the day came. I found myself in Nabs's quarters, speaking with my soon-to-be-married sister. I would be walking her down the aisle as well as giving her away.

I felt a lump lodge itself in the back of my throat, and I suddenly felt very emotional. I mean, my older sister was getting married! "Nabs," I stated, enveloping her in a huge bear hug. I pulled her close, careful so that I wouldn't crush her fancy wedding dress. "I love you, big sis; don't forget about me, you hear?"

Nabs laughed heartily, "Aw, Link. There's no need to be worried about me forgetting about you. How could I forget about you, little brother? Even when I'm old and married for fifty years with kids all grown up, I will _never_ forget about you. By then, you'll probably be married to Zelda ruling at the Fortress," she teased.

I rolled my eyes, unamused. "Haha, Nabs. You've had your laugh, but seriously, I'm leaving the Domain after the wedding," I stated softly, knowing that Zelda was in the adjoining room. I wanted to break the news to her after the wedding before we actually left. I couldn't stand the thought of leaving her and wanted to leave the hard part for last.

"What?! Link!" Nabs exclaimed. "What're you talking about?! You can't leave the Domain!"

"Nabs! Not so loud!" my eyes shifted to where the room Zelda was in meaningfully.

Nabs's eyes widened. "You haven't even told her yet?!" she whispered loudly and urgently.

I face-palmed. "Nabs! Sh!" My eyes once more darted to the other room, and I slammed a hand on top of Nabs's mouth, getting lipstick all over my hands – _Great_ … I glared at Nabs, and she removed my hands from atop her mouth.

"Link!" she hissed, this time much quieter. "What was that for?!"

"I'm sorry, Nabs. You – you look gorgeous; you really do," I fumbled and stumbled over my words clumsily as I tried to fix my mistake.

"I don't care about the lipstick! Although the lady's gonna blow a fuse when she sees it's messed up –" Nabs's brows drew together, and she didn't look too happy. "I care about you and Zelda! If you don't speak to her, she'll think everything's hunky dory until you do tell her, and then everything will fall apart!" her voice raised and then lowered as she continued. "Trust me, Link. A girl's emotions aren't something to be played with. She cares about you."

I sighed, not sure what to say. "I – I don't know what to do, Nabs. I keep telling myself that I'll talk to her after the wedding."

"You mean wait until the very last possible moment?" Nabs didn't think that plan was all that great. She smacked my arm – hard. "Link – You _have_ to speak to her."

I suddenly felt very sick to my stomach. "Nabs – I – I _can't_. I'm not good with words, especially when talking to her!"

"And why is that, Link?" Nabs questioned, raising a brow. She placed a hand on her hip as she normally did when she was annoyed or in what I liked to call "lecture mode." And, in my opinion, she was in both.

I began stuttering, "Be – Because! She's _Zelda_!" I finally exclaimed softly.

"And?" Nabs asked, waiting for more. She looked pretty intimidating standing in her pose.

"And…" I thought quickly, analyzing my options. "I'm gonna crush that dress of yours giving you a hug!" I stated playfully, growling a bit. I began to start chasing her around the room.

"Link!" she responded, holding the skirt of her she ran.

I caught her anyways, throwing my arms around her. I pulled her into a soft hug, being careful of her dress. "You really do look pretty, sis," I laughed into her ear.

She stepped away from me, quirking a brow and placing her hands on her hips in her default position. "Really?" she questioned jestingly. Her red hair was curled at the tips, and her makeup was done a tad heavily in typical Gerudo fashion. Her dress was pretty extravagant while still being simple – I don't know how that's possible, considering the two words together are an oxymoron. She wore a pair of silver heels, and the skirt of her dress was draped in a way so that it exposed her legs from the knees down. She really looked beautiful.

"Really," I confirmed in the same teasing tone. I would miss her when I left, but I was relieved that she dropped the whole Zelda issue for now.

"Link," her tone changed suddenly. In just one second, she went from looking so excited to looking almost – scared. She crossed her arms over her chest and gazed down at the floor. "I'm so scared, Link," she admitted, her eyes still downcast.

"Nabs," I whispered, opening my arms again. She ran into my arms, not caring about her dress. "Don't be scared – I'm gonna be right next to you the whole time. You're gonna marry the man of your dreams and be happy. You'll be fine."

"Link – You know me; I'm loud; I'm bossy; I'm not –" Nabs struggled for a word, "desirable. What if Aziz decides that – he doesn't want me anymore?"

I hugged her tightly, "Aziz loves you; he's going to promise that he loves you and will never leave – That's why we're having this wedding, right?" Not caring about the possibility of messing everything up, I stroked her soft red hair.

"I guess – But what if I screw everything up? Honestly, you know I always do," Nabs wiped her eyes, messing up all of her maquillage.

I smiled down at her, "OK, I admit it – You do always screw everything up." My straight face was maintained, and Nabs looked over at me with shock and horror.

"Link!" she exclaimed, smacking my arm hard – again…

I shrugged, "You said that I know you always screw everything up – I was just stating the truth." Nabs was always so fun to tease – except when she got mad in the end.

Nabs glared at me, unamused as always at my simple joke. " _Link_ ," she hissed.

I shrugged once more. "I was telling the truth! You always told me that it's wrong to lie!" I protested with my hands as Nabs began approaching me, her eyes narrowing scarily.

"It is!" Nabs agreed. "Then why don't you tell Zelda that you and Sheik are leaving?!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air, frustrated.

"That's not fair, Nabs," I shook my head. How could she just say that? It was so hypocritical, and so was she! But, what was I? I shook off the feeling of slight guilt at the thought of Zelda, when said person poked her head in the room, beaming.

"Nabs! Link! You guys ready?" she looked so beautiful; in fact, dare I say it, she was even more beautiful than Nabs. Her layered golden blonde hair swung down to the small of her back, curled to, as girls would say, "perfection." She wore an ankle-length bright red dress; you could definitely see the Gerudo influence in the rest of her ensemble as well. Huge hoops hung from her ears, and she wore tons of jewelry – I didn't really like that addition. In my opinion, they marred her natural beauty.

Shaking myself of my reverie, I turned to face her with a smile. "Uh, yeah?" That feeling of guilt returned as I saw her cheerful smile. I didn't want to leave her, but I had to. In order to protect her, Sheik, the rest, and I _had_ to leave.

"Oh, no!" she exclaimed, "Nabs! What happened to your makeup?" she motioned for an attendant to fix Nabs's ruined maquillage. The attendant redid all of her hard work quickly before nodding when she was finished. "Alright – We have to head to the chapel. Oh, we're already late as it is," Zelda's brows drew together prettily as she talked quickly, checking items off a list she held. She pushed a sliver of blonde hair back behind her ear, concentrating.

Swallowing a lump in the back of my throat, I suppressed an urge to tell her right then and there that I was leaving. I cleared my throat, "Should we go?"

Zelda nodded quickly, her head bobbing up and down rapidly. "Yes, we should. Are you ready, Nabs?"

Nabs shot me a meaningful look, and I gulped once more. "I'm ready, Zel. I knew I picked the right person to coordinate my wedding," she stated proudly, smiling.

Zelda practically beamed at the compliment. "Aw, thanks, Nabs! Now, we need to go."

Taking my proffered arm, Nabs shot me another look. "Alright, _Zelda_." She smirked as I glared at her.

Attempting to calm myself down, I took in several deep breaths. We followed Zelda through a series of passages to the chapel. I was to play two parts; I had to give Nabs away, and I was Aziz's best man. I would give Nabs away and join the rest of the groomsmen. When the happy couple would be announced for the first time, they would walk up the aisle, followed by me and Zelda as well as the rest of the bridal party.

Thankfully, I would be walking up with Zelda, the maid of honor. Sheik would walk with Aqua, and Cove would walk with Marine. My heart clenched at the thought of my older sister getting married – I couldn't believe it. It was crazy.

We arrived at the door to the chapel, where the bridal party, with the exception of Aziz, was waiting for us. Aqua handed Zelda's bouquet back after Zelda gave her list to an attendant. Nabs and I stepped a little to the side so no one would be able to see us before the given time. Inhaling deeply, I turned to my sister. "Ready, Nabs?"

"Link! Stop! Everyone's gonna psych me out before I even step onto the aisle!" she exclaimed, half in jest and half in earnest. She held her bouquet tightly, like a lifesaver, and I could tell she was extremely nervous.

Chuckling, I raised a brow teasingly. "Nervous, are we?"

I expected Nabs to deny it, but she instead nodded feverishly. "Yes!"

The door opened, music began to play, and Zelda stepped onto the aisle confidently, her curls bouncing slightly. She made her way down the aisle, smiling widely. Next came Sheik and Aqua, then Cove and Marine. The door closed once more, and I watched my sister with interest. She shuddered slightly, her brows furrowing.

I nudged her a bit, and she looked up at me. Grinning, I nudged her again. She finally cracked a smile as well, laughing a bit. "I can't believe this day is here," Nabs stated joyfully. Our arms were linked, and her bouquet was held in her right hand.

It was a sweet picture, and I nudged her one last time. "Me either."

The door opened once more, and we stepped onto the aisle. I felt so many eyes upon us, and it was slightly unnerving. Nabs bore all the attention bravely, actually laughing a little in anticipation. We arrived at the front of the chapel, and the pastor asked me who would give away Nabs to Aziz.

Clearing my throat and standing up straighter, I stated boldly, "I do." I placed Nabs's hand in Aziz's, smiling encouragingly at Nabs. I went to join Sheik and Cove at the side. The rest was all a blur. There wasn't a dry eye in the whole chapter – Even my fierce older sister was crying unashamedly. Before I knew it, Nabs and Aziz were pronounced husband and wife, and I almost whooped with joy. Wearing a grin I couldn't contain, I linked arms with Zelda.

"That was a beautiful ceremony," Zelda stated as we walked down the aisle, following Nabs and Aziz.

"It was," I agreed, nodding. We joined the happy couple, excited. Then, my heart sank once more as I thought about Zelda…

"Um, Zelda?" voice shaking, I gazed into her ocean blue orbs. "Can we talk?"

"Is something wrong?" Zelda asked, her eyes flashing with worry. "You know you can tell me anything, Link."

I leaned against the stone wall next to me. "Zelda," I breathed, "Sheik, Aqua, Marine, Cove, and I have to leave the Domain for now."

She opened her mouth in protest, but I motioned for her to remain silent. "Zelda – Ganondorf and Ren want me. By staying here, I'm putting everyone at the Domain in danger – including you. You're – you're very – precious to me, Zelda. I can't lose you."

"But, Link," she began, "You can't just leave. Aren't you at least going to stay for Nabooru and Aziz's reception?"

Shaking my head, my heart broke even more. "I can't. We've already prolonged our departure for too long."

"Do Aziz and Nabs know?" she questioned.

Reluctantly, I nodded wordlessly.

Zelda looked away, crestfallen. "And I'm the last to know." It wasn't a question – It was a statement. She looked so hurt.

I gathered her lithe form in my toned arms. "Zel – I just didn't know what to say – I still don't. I'm sorry," my voice cracked, and I hated it.

"Link – I can't lose you or Sheik. You guys are my support system. Without you two, I majorly mess up. You guys don't know how much you mean to me. I – I don't know what I would do without you both," her own voice cracked as well. "I need you guys."

Without speaking, I hugged her closer. She continued, "I care about you deeply, Link. Although we've only spent a short amount of time together, I can't imagine what my life was like without you." The floodgates opened, and tears flowed down her cheeks freely, similar to our moment together last week.

I traced the tear trails, holding her closely. Kissing the top of her head gently, I released her. "Go say goodbye to Sheik," I motioned to her brother watching our scene closely.

Upset, she gulped, dashing the tears away. "Sheik!" she cried, running into her brother's arms. He held her close, similar to how I had held Zelda previously.

I felt myself locked in a group hug. Nabs and Aziz had locked their arms around me, and I turned to embrace them both – My family.

"You did the right thing, Link," Nabs stated, her eyes still teary.

I sighed, watching Zelda and Sheik still. "It doesn't feel like it."

"The right thing?" Aziz scoffed. "The last possible second?"

Nabs shrugged, still in our embrace. "Had I not convinced him otherwise, he probably would have just tried to sneak away without saying goodbye to her."

"Thanks, you guys, for all the support; I love you both a ton," I stated softly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aqua and Marine embracing their father and sisters. We weren't the only ones saying goodbye.

"We're family now, Link," Aziz agreed, tousling my blonde hair.

"Love you, little brother," Nabs whispered, breaking away. She and Aziz stood apart from me, still in their own hug.

"Love you too," I responded with a nod.

"Be safe, Link," Aziz added, and he and Nabs stood, watching us prepare for our departure.

I turned to face Zelda one last time as she broke away from Sheik. "Goodbye, Zelda," I whispered softly.

She snuggled into my arms once more – for one last time. "Goodbye, Link." She avoided eye contact and stepped away from me. She murmured something under her breath, but I couldn't understand.

Aqua handed me my crossbow and quiver of arrows. Dozens of small knives and daggers were concealed and hidden in different articles of my clothing. Marine passed me my own bag of provisions, and I glanced at Zelda one more time, sighing.

"C'mon, Link," Sheik stated, motioning me forward. We began to walk away, joined by the twins and Cove.

We were the Wanderers. We left the Domain, and I could only say to more words, although they were more to myself than anyone else, "Goodbye, Zelda…"

* * *

 **Wow... I think I just depressed myself... That last part was so hard to write! I would have posted earlier but wasn't satisfied with the chapter, so I kept on nit-picking it... Well, it is done, and I am relieved. I'm not completely content, and I'll probably go back and edit, but I wanted to just finished it. LOL ;)**

 **Anyways, so I have this thing called a "song obsession," and that is basically a song/songs I listen to over and over while writing a chapter. So, this chapter's song obsession is "To Love You Back" by Jamie Grace. You may hear more of those in the near future, btw.**

 **Oh, and I hope you enjoyed Nabs and Aziz's wedding, AnriMia24. :)**

 **Um... That's about it... My writing schedule may become more erratic, so I may transfer to only publishing on Sundays from now on, but we'll see. So, thanks for reading, voting, and subscribing. Love and *smiles* ;D**

 **~Elsie**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **3,902**


	11. Chapter X

We trudged away from the Domain for a long time, and before long, a huge mountain came into view, Death Mountain, to be specific. I felt awful for leaving Zelda; she didn't deserve to be left behind again. Now both Sheik and I were gone. I was sure that she would integrate well into the Zora society for now and that we would meet up again someday eventually. I couldn't wait until that day.

"Link?" Aqua questioned, nudging me slightly. "You OK?" she waved a hand in front of my face and halted right then and there on the mountain incline.

I squinted ahead of us then saw something rather frightening. I grabbed her hand, pulling her over to the side as a huge rolling ball of rock went past us, barely missing us. Sheik, Marine, and Cove had followed suit, following behind us.

Noticing our confused look, Sheik gave a slight laugh. Pulling his hood up that had fallen in our hurry to escape being crushed, he explained, "That was a Goron."

My jaw dropped – That was a Goron?! What?! "That – thing – was a Goron?!"

Guffawing, Sheik nodded. "Yup. Welcome to Death Mountain, Wanderers."

Marine and Aqua linked arms, scooting closer together. "I don't think I like this, Aqua," Marine stated, her face twisting with worry.

Aqua, the braver of the twins, nodded in agreement. "I don't either," her eyes scanned over the area ahead of us. "There are more."

"We better keep on going," Cove stated, beginning to trek further up the incline.

"Ah! My sworn brother!" came an exclamation from a very deep, reverberating voice.

Sheik turned around, his hood concealing his face. "Darron!" he responded. He was locked into a very big hug by one of those Gorons. He looked like he was in some deep pain, and I thought I heard a couple of bones crack. Ow.

"My brother – We did not know that you would be coming so soon," the Goron, Darron, replied, slamming Sheik's back multiple times.

Sheik winced, stretching a bit to relieve himself of some of the pain. "It's good to see you too, Darron. I actually wasn't expecting to come today either, though there are some people I want Darunia to meet."

Darron nodded knowingly. "Are these the people you want Big Brother to meet?" he questioned, his eyes running over us curiously.

"Yes," Sheik agreed. "We should start heading over now, no?"

"Absolutely, Brother!" Darron exclaimed with surprising enthusiasm. "Let's go!"

Marine and Aqua exchanged wary glances, each keeping a careful eye on the huge Goron. They followed Sheik and Darron, avoiding all rolling Gorons at all costs. Cove and I followed after the girls, bringing up the rear.

"I'm beginning to wonder why we're doing this again," Cove whispered to me from the corner of his mouth.

I shrugged, sighing. "This is going to be interesting, that's for sure."

"Agreed," Cove nodded. We continued walking up the incline before arriving at a bridge of sorts. Crossing it carefully brought us to what I presumed to be the inside of Death Mountain.

"Welcome to Goron City!" Darron exclaimed, spreading his arms wide. He looked so – happy at welcoming us to his home. I found that almost – amusing.

I looked beneath us and inferred that the city was made of multiple tiers. There were more Gorons on all of the tiers, rolling. My cobalt blue eyes widened. What would happen if one of them rolled on top of you? That was a scary thought, and I cringed, also remembering how Sheik's bones seemed to crack from Darron's hug. Imagining one of them rolling on top of us, effectively crushing us. Yikes.

"Thanks, Darron," I stated uneasily, still disturbed at that awful thought.

"No problem!" Darron responded excitedly. We began descending to the bottom, using the tiers as a means to get there, avoiding all the rolling Gorons. Darron led us with the rest of us following close behind. We were in unfamiliar territory and had to trust Darron and Sheik, who had apparently been here before.

We arrived at a huge door that had images and designs engraved in its wood. Knocking a certain rhythm on the surface, Darron stood, waiting – for what I wasn't sure. Suddenly, the door slid upwards, revealing a hidden passage lit up by the glowing light of torches, flickering brightly in their sconces. We stepped into the corridor entrance; Darron familiarly, and the rest of us more cautiously.

We walked through the brightly lit passage, arriving in a relatively large chamber. A huge Goron with what looked like a beard stood with his arms crossed. His face lit up at the sight of Sheik's cloaked figure. "Sheik! My sworn brother!" he exclaimed, locking Sheik in another bone-crushing embrace.

"Hey, Darunia," Sheik's hood fell down, but his expression was still hidden by his cowl. He looked really uncomfortable with his feet dangling in the air.

"What're you doing here, little brother? We weren't expecting you so soon," Darunia stated, thumping Sheik on the back, like Darron, but with more force and power.

Sheik disentangled himself carefully, looking winded. "Well, I have some people I'd like to introduce you to."

Darunia strained his neck, attempting to have a look at us. "Where's the Princess Zelda?" he questioned disappointedly after examining us fully.

"She's over at Zora's Domain right now," Sheik replied. "I know I promised I'd bring her next time so that you two could meet, but we had to leave her behind. Ganondorf, leader of the Gerudo Fortress, is looking for several people, particularly this young man," he motioned to me.

"And who might you be, little brother?" Darunia asked, eyeing me with slight suspicion.

I cleared my throat uneasily. "I'm Link."

"The Prince of Gerudo," Marine chimed in; I shot her a glare. I did not want to be associated with Ganondorf anymore.

Darunia looked taken aback, and he stared at me, recognition lighting in his eyes. "Link?" he repeated. Everyone watched as he stared at me. I shifted my weight awkwardly, and his eyes bore into my own. "The name of legend," he breathed. His eyes lingered on me, completely in awe. "I never thought I would have this opportunity." By now, he was actually scaring me.

I must have looked very discombobulated because Aqua whispered from beside me, "Are you OK, Link?" she questioned. Her eyes searched my own kindly.

I snapped back to attention. "What's going on?" I questioned. My hand was burning and stinging, so I rubbed it uncomfortably. What in Hyrule was happening right now?

Darunia broke from his trance, and he turned to Sheik. "He is my sworn brother," he announced, pointing at me. "Does he know the song of the Royal Family?"

My brow furrowed. What? What was the song of the Royal Family?

Shaking his head, Sheik responded. "No, what are you talking about, Darunia?" Darunia pulled him to the side, whispering something in his ear. Sheik's eyes widened in shock, and I wondered what Darunia was telling him. "I'll get right on it, Darunia," Sheik answered, and they returned to their previous places.

"What were they talking about?" Cove asked me.

I shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"My brother! Welcome to Goron City! I hope you enjoy your stay here," Darunia stated, thumping me on the back, just like how he had done to Sheik. "And you as well, aquatic brother and sisters. How is King Zane?"

The twins looked relieved at finally being included in the conversation. Marine beamed, while Aqua took the lead. "He's doing quite well, Darunia."

"Who are you in relation to the 'ole fish?" Darunia questioned.

Aqua looked slightly disturbed at Darunia's nickname, and Marine took over their end of the conversation. "We're two of his seven daughters," she stated proudly, and Cove slipped his hand through hers.

That action made me think of Zelda. I felt my heart clench, and I turned away from everyone else. While everyone was busy conversing, I slipped away through the passageway. I exited the passageway and entered the main area of Goron City. I felt like an idiot and a heartless jerk. Leaving Zelda all alone? What was I thinking? I had to remind myself that she was with Nabooru, Aziz, and Nabila. They would all keep her safe.

But that didn't ease my guilt. The hurt in my heart didn't lessen; in fact, it merely increased. My left hand began stinging and burning once more, and I doubled over with pain. From behind me, I heard a haunting yet soothing melody begin to play. The burning sensation in my hand slowly began to subside, and I breathed again, attempting to stand upright once more. Turning around, I was met with Sheik who was plucking at the delicate strings of a golden lyre. So he was responsible for that melody. His hood was up once more.

"What was that?" I questioned, clutching my hand.

Shifting his weight slightly, Sheik began playing the melody once more. "It's called the Song of Healing. You're going to learn it along with a few other songs, including the song of the Royal Family," he stated. The notes fell and rose, creating the haunting melody once more.

"How?" I questioned. I was just a young Gerudo man that just found was Hylian! I couldn't play any instruments, much less that beautiful melody. What was Sheik talking about?!

As if reading my mind, Sheik took out a delicate blue ocarina. "This, Link, is the Ocarina of Time. It is an ancient relic used by the original Hero of Time himself on his own journey to rid Hyrule of an evil Gerudo man named Ganondorf. It's now your turn," he placed the instrument in my hands, folding my fingers over the artifact.

Even as young Gerudo children, we had all been taught about the Hero of Time, much to Ganondorf's dismay and fury. Now I better understood why. Ganondorf had always taken pride from the fact that he was a direct descendent of the first Ganondorf. He was upset that the Hero of Time had managed to defeat his ancestor.

A few seconds later, a golden light was emitted from my hands, engulfing and bathing the Ocarina in its pure, comforting warmth. The stinging had mostly subsided by now, and a symbol had imprinted itself on my left hand. Looking up at Sheik, my cobalt eyes conveyed a series of emotions, confused, desperately trying to grasp what he meant. "Sheik?" I questioned.

"You're the next Hero, Link," Sheik stated, shattering my whole life with those five words.

Frozen with shock, my breath caught in the back of my throat. What? Did I hear him right? I was the next Hero? My body refused to move, and I nearly dropped the Ocarina. Trying to speak, I sputtered and stammered without actually even really saying anything. "What?" I was finally able to say that one word semi-coherently.

Nodding solemnly, Sheik began playing a different song on his lyre. It sounded vaguely familiar, and I tried to pinpoint where exactly I had heard it before. Then, I remembered. Zelda had hummed this same melody several times when she had become very sad. Sheik continued to play its sweet song, soft and beautiful-sounding when played on that golden instrument. "You remember this song?" Sheik questioned.

I nodded wordlessly as he finished. "Good," he motioned at the Ocarina. "Play," he commanded.

My brow furrowed. Was he serious? I have never played an instrument in my life, and he expected me to play this thing with no trouble? I reluctantly lifted the artifact to my lips, and, surprisingly, the notes tumbled out of the instrument with no problems at all. In fact, it almost sounded – good. It sounded almost identical to the melody Sheik was playing.

Sheik applauded. "Well done. I knew you were the one. You picked up Zelda's Lullaby with no trouble at all just by ear. Play it again."

Obeying Sheik's command, I kept on playing, and he joined in on his lyre. _Zelda's Lullaby._ I repeated the name several times in my head, thinking about the Princess that had changed my life forever. _Zelda's Lullaby._ We played in harmony for some time, and I savored the song that reminded me of Zelda so much.

"Besides being known as Zelda's Lullaby, this song is also known as the song of the Royal Family," Sheik spoke. His hood slipped off, revealing his face – at least the part of his face not concealed by his cowl.

"What does this mean?" I questioned, referring to the mark on my hand.

Sheik smirked slightly. "I think you know."

The Triforce. I knew what it was. Ganondorf had a similar mark on his own hand, although it was on his right – his dominant hand. He had bragged about his mark for quite some time, saying that a Hero had yet to show up and stop his plans. Well, here I was now. He would throw a fit if he knew that I was the Hero. Or, maybe he did know that I was the Hero. Maybe that was why he had kidnapped me in the first place. Regardless, I was now placed with the responsibility of stopping him.

"I'm the Hero, and I am the bearer of the Triforce of Courage," I stated slowly, allowing the idea to sink in. I fingered the Ocarina. It felt so familiar, being in my hands, and I lifted it to my lips once more. Remembering the song Sheik had been playing before, I attempted to replicate it. I succeeded, and Sheik watched with pride as I effortlessly played the haunting melody – the Song of Healing.

"Excellently done, Link," Sheik encouraged. "You're going to learn many songs in no time, I'm sure. You're a natural!"

My smile widened under Sheik's praise, and I clutched the Ocarina like a lifesaver. I was the Hero of Time! I was! No one would be able to stop me – not even Ganondorf. I gave a contented laugh – the first genuine laugh I'd given since we had left the Domain, also leaving Zelda and her presence behind. "Thanks, Sheik," I breathed.

Meeting Zelda had been one of the best things that had ever happened to me, and leaving her was one of the hardest things I had ever done. I jutted my chin out resolutely, deciding that I would do whatever it took to protect Zelda and defeat Ganondorf.

Sheik absentmindedly began plucking out another melody – it was happy and joyful. I liked it and after his first run through, began playing along with him. "What's this called?" I asked; my curiosity was piqued, and I paused in my playing.

"It's called Sheik's Song," he responded with a cheeky grin.

"So both you and Zelda have songs?" I questioned.

He nodded in return. "Yup. You've learned both of them along with the Song of Healing. Don't forget them."

"OK," I agreed.

Sheik pulled his hood up once more. "I have a quick errand to run, so I'll see you later, OK? We'll work on another song then, but just practice for now." He stashed his lyre in what I supposed was an enchanted pouch. I would have to ask him about it some other time because it could prove useful another time in a pinch. He left silently, his feet making no sound on the stone ground.

I began to play Zelda's Lullaby softly to myself. It brought a sense of security as well as longing – for Zelda I was sure. She had looked so distraught when we left. The guilt I felt weighed me down to no end. I had hurt her, I knew, but I was also pained. What was going to happen to – us? Was there even an us? Was there something more or were we just close friends? Did Zelda want to be more than just friends? My head was swimming, and I poured all of my frustration into my rendition of Zelda's Lullaby.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and halted in my playing. Aqua stood with a slight smirk. "Thinking about a certain someone?" she questioned smugly.

My jaw went agape, and I looked at her incredulously. "How'd you know?"

"You're acting like how Marine acts when Cove goes on a five day scouting trip. Link, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I mean, how would you feel if you just found out that you're the Hero of Time, and you're adopted father who is also hunting you down is actually the King of Thieves? Aqua, I hold the Triforce of Courage, and Ganondorf holds the Triforce of Power. How does Zelda fit into this picture?!" I ended my tirade, going back to playing Zelda's Lullaby with both vehemence and vigor.

"I think you're forgetting one part of the Triforce, Link," Aqua smirked. "Don't you remember the legends? What about the Princess of Destiny?"

I about dropped my Ocarina in surprise. "What are you trying to imply by that question, Aqua?" I questioned; my eyes went wide with both shock and fear.

"What do you think, Link?" she asked cryptically, and I knew.

Now, along with guilt, my heart panged with fear for Zelda. Should Ganondorf and Ren pursue and trace us to the Domain, they wouldn't hesitate to terminate Zelda. Thankfully, I knew for sure that they didn't know of Zelda's identity as Princess of Destiny, but they could find out at any time. Why did I leave her?

"We left her," I breathed, more to myself than Aqua.

Aqua nodded solemnly. "I know – But Zelda's a strong girl. She can take care of herself for right now. Besides, she has Nabooru and Aziz. I know that my father and the rest of the Zora won't hesitate to protect her with their lives."

Thoughts of everyone I had met so far came to my mind. Relena – or Rey as I became prone to call her. What became of her? Had Ren or Ganondorf captured her? Had they figured out that she had helped us in our escape? Or was she safe? There were so many unanswered questions floating around in my head, and I could only do one thing to soothe my aching heart – Thinking of my Princess, I lifted the Ocarina to my lips, playing Zelda's Lullaby.

* * *

 **Phew… That chapter took a lot out of me even though it wasn't too hard to write. I know, I know, it's Sheik's Theme not Sheik's Song. I did that on purpose. ^^ Also, my writing schedule is going to shift to just Sundays because I'm trying to prioritize my time a bit better with school getting more hectic. :( Pretty annoying, but it's life, y'know? ^^**

 **WE HAVE 26 INCHES OF SNOW WHERE I LIVE, PEOPLE! I live in NYC, so we got hit pretty hard. I was shoveling for FOREVER yesterday. :P Anyways…**

 **Thank you to anyone of you awesome people that have "subscribed" to this story. I love you guys so much! Thanks to those that also "subscribed" to me as well. You are the best!**

 **Thanks to both Night Watcher 7 and Flik98 for reviewing last chapter. Night Watcher 7: Thanks for the support, and I can't wait until the next chapter of _Essence of a Hero_. :) Flik98: You're always so sweet in your reviews! You're awesome! ;)**

 **In response to AnriMia24: This separation is killing me, and it's only been one chapter! Ugh. I do have my reasons, but they're definitely reuniting soon. Don't worry, this is a Zelink story. ^^ Hmm… My first Impa requester. I have no clue if she'll turn up somewhere. (I do ^_^) There are a ton of characters that have yet to enter the story, but I'm working on it. ;)**

 **Anyways… I'll see you next week. LOVE YOU GUYS! *smiles* :D**

 **~Elsie**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **3,061**


	12. Chapter XI

**Hey guys! So I'm a day late, which is exactly why you should subscribe (follow) this story! *wink*wink* ;) Anyways, enjoy!**

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Watching the sunset at Death Mountain on the Death Mountain Trail was an amazing experience. My only wish was that Zelda was there with me by my side. The sky was painted with colors of brilliant hues – a soft, delicate pink, a fading light blue, a darker cerulean blue, morphing into a deep purple. It was beautiful. "Link," I heard Sheik call.

I turned to face Sheik. "Yeah?"

"Are you ready for your next lesson?" he questioned, motioning to the Ocarina I was fiddling with in my hands idly. He held his lyre as though he was cradling a baby; I had learned from my time spent with Sheik that his lyre was one of his most prized possessions, after Zelda. It had been gifted to him by his mother before she passed away, and a harp had been left in the possession of Kirstin and Reneer Adema for the baby girl the queen was expecting. Sheik said that it was as though the queen _knew_ she was going to die. Whenever Sheik spoke about his parents, which wasn't often, I would wonder about my own parents.

I was sure that they were more caring and understanding than Ganondorf. They couldn't be worse than Ganondorf, right? I held my Ocarina in one hand and ran the other through my unruly blonde hair. "Sure," I nodded, preparing to learn another song. Most of these were songs that the Hero of Time himself learned on his own journey. Now it was my turn.

Puffs of smoke poured itself out of Death Mountain Crater, the center of Death Mountain. It billowed to the lit sky in a ring formation, and I watched in awe.

Sheik began playing a melodic tune on his lyre.

I copied it on my Ocarina, playing the interesting song. Sheik harmonized on his lyre, and we played the song as the sun went down. I wasn't sure what this song would be used for. Zelda's Lullaby could be played to any race of Hyrule, and they would respond kindly. The Song of Healing could be played, and those around me would be healed of bad memories or injuries. Sheik's Song had the ability to either summon Sheik or allow me to communicate with him telepathically.

Sheik watched me carefully, a grin spreading across his face. "You remind me of your dad," he stated a bit gruffly.

"Really?" I questioned; the Ocarina dropped to my side, and I turned to Sheik, interested.

He nodded, gazing out at the now dark sky. It was now twilight, and I suddenly felt mournful and sorrowful. "You feel it too, don't you?" he questioned. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "The twilight is a lovely time, and it brings both sorrow and joy – memories – good ones of good times and hard ones from hard times. But, shadow and light are two sides of the same coin. That's what I've learned, being an honorary Sheikah." He turned away from me. "This world is a hard one – and a cruel one. My mother was taken away from me and Zelda at very early ages, and my father, grief-stricken, turned to wine and alcohol in large dosage. My older brother turned to a life of isolation and separation, shunning me and Zelda because we both reminded him of our deceased mother. Zelda had to deal with the otherwise pent-up contempt, anger, and bitterness of our father and brother.

"Both hurting terribly, they would lash out at her often for no reason at all. Zelda would receive their blows with dignity, always acting like the Princess she was from a very young age. Always living in fear of our abusive father and brother, she never got a childhood. We both had to 'grow up,' in a sense, trying to bear the burdens our father and brother placed upon us. I was basically Arvid's 'understudy,' learning everything I could about how to rule a kingdom. Secretly amidst the pain and hurt I had been dealing with and without the knowledge of my father, I learned the ways of a Sheikah, becoming an honorary Sheikah warrior.

"I learned with the intent and purpose of being able to protect both Zelda and myself. We were both too young to have been placed in a situation like that. Dealing with sorrow, grief, anger, and bitterness, I grew to take consolation from the twilight – the one time of day when I was truly able to unleash my feelings. Shadow and light both make up our world, and I believe that that is how it was meant to be. All this to say that the twilight is reminiscent of something that happened a long time ago – the Twilight Invasion," Sheik continued. His piercing red eyes then flickered toward mine. "Do you know of the Twilight Invasion, Link?"

I wracked my brain but came up with nothing. We had never really learned about anything of the sort at the Fortress besides for some stories about the original Hero of Time. Shaking my head, I absently began to play Zelda's Lullaby on my Ocarina; a feeling of comfort surged through me.

"The Twilight Invasion is a tale of a Hero of Legend from many years ago – generations ago, but the story is still preserved today," with that, Sheik launched into a retelling of the ancient story from generations, back and back and back.

We conversed for some time, discussing the Twilight Invasion and other occurrences that had happened generations ago and were now a part of Hyrule's history. Sheik's sole purpose in informing me of these events was to prepare me for what was to come, which would hopefully not be as bad as many of the catastrophes that had occurred throughout history.

"Link," Sheik began; his voice lowered, becoming serious and grave. "There's something else you need to know."

Brows raised, I stood, waiting for an explanation.

"You have to be the next Hero because you fit the description of the Hero perfectly. An ancient prophecy that has been passed down through the Royal Family for generations confirms your identity as well. Zelda had insisted for quite some time that you were the next Hero, but I chose to disagree. Giving you the Ocarina was really a test I came up with to see if you were the next Hero – to see if my sister was right," Sheik admitted. "She was. The Ocarina basically served as a trigger to evoke the power of the Triforce within you. It was dormant until you made contact with the Ocarina."

I paused, unsure of what to think. Zelda had _known_ that I was the Hero for what Sheik had said was "quite some time." If she had known, was she merely trying to get close to me so that I would save her kingdom? Had she only had intentions of using me? What _were_ her intentions?

"You're worried," it wasn't a question; it was a statement.

I gazed out at the starry sky. We had been talking for hours if the night was any indicator. The twilight was now gone, and the curtain of night had prevailed over the shadows, engulfing the Mountain with its beauty. "I am worried," I nodded, accepting the truth. But what was the truth? I had trusted Zelda, and she might have only been my friend just to use me. Could I trust her again? As far as I was concerned, the tight bonds of trust that existed between us were slightly severed.

"Zelda was truly your friend," Sheik stated. "She wasn't trying to use you. She simply wanted to be a companion. You showed her kindness and mercy when Ganondorf was ready to kill her, and she was so grateful to you. When I would sneak into her room to check up on her, she would always talk about how you had helped her out in some way or would retell the various times you had made her laugh that day.

"I know my sister, Link," he continued. "As much as it hurts me to say it because I'm her protective older brother, she cares about you – deeply."

With that confirmation, I breathed a sigh of relief; our tight bond of trust had been restored, though it was not as strong as it was before. It couldn't be. Not with the doubt I had and not until I could see Zelda and talk to her, face to face. With that now partially resolved, I chose to return to our previous topic. "What were you saying about a prophecy?"

"Ah, yes!" Sheik exclaimed, beginning to pluck his lyre once more; this time he was playing a song unfamiliar to me. It sounded sad and mournful as well as slightly reminiscent of the twilight; it brought tears to my eyes. "There's an ancient prophecy that has been carefully guarded and passed down the Royal Family for generations. Its telling was always skipped a generation, so my father was not a recipient of it. The prophecy was instead told to me by my grandfather. He was wise, knowing that Arvid wouldn't be able to handle something of such importance.

"At my request, he also told Zelda. That was before his disappearance – five years ago. I was twenty at the time, and Zelda was a mere fifteen. Nevertheless, the prophecy remains in my possession; Zelda is at the Domain and is guarding it with her life. Our grandfather has since disappeared," Sheik ended. He looked restless, so I began playing the Song of Healing, almost on instinct.

Sheik, looking calmer, spoke, "This is the prophecy:

'When two beams of light meet

Are enslaved by chains

And have to overcome

They must push past pain

Joined by shadow, fire, and water

Must transcend fear

Must not conform

Will wipe away tears

A new candlelight

A shadow native to light

Two tears

Burning rage and steadfastness

A shy yet cheerful joy

A shadow towering above all in status

Betrayal and chaos will reign

Treachery from royalty and people the same

The Hero and Princess will be broken from pain

Heartbreak, fear, and betrayal will stain

The grounds of Hyrule forever and ever

After destiny's game.'"

Thoughtfully, I pondered the words of the prophecy. With my new knowledge, I could understand that the two beams of light represented me and Zelda. The last part of the prophecy was pretty clear: Zelda and I would have to endure much pain and hardship as would the rest of Hyrule. So, I could make sense of the first and last stanzas, but in my opinion, the two middle stanzas were confusing. I continued to play on the Ocarina, unsure of the prophecy's meaning in its entirety.

"I can see that you are having trouble with the middle two stanzas," Sheik stated, and I nodded. "Their meaning is rather unclear to me as well, but I do know one thing. I am the shadow native to light."

Things started to click only slightly as I took into consideration the fact that much of the poem was figurative. The two tears had to be Aqua and Marine. That was the only explanation that made sense. I wasn't too sure on the rest, though. I supposed that things would start to unfold as our journey continued. "Aqua and Marine," I spoke; the Ocarina dropped to my side.

Sheik nodded. "I figured as much, although I wasn't positive. We need to –"

He was cut off by a rolling Goron – Darron. "Brother!" the Goron exclaimed. "Your help is needed! Volvagia has somehow been revived!"

His mood darkening, Sheik's eyes widened instantly. "No," he stated. He turned to me. "You must defeat Volvagia, Link."

"Who or what is Volvagia, Sheik?" I questioned, doubly confused. I tucked my Ocarina in a special pouch Sheik had given me – similar to his own. It had a magical ability, allowing its user to place as many objects in it, no matter the size, without worrying about whether or not it would fit – because it would. It was technologically genius, I thought.

Sheik looked as though he was about to speak but was cut off by Darron once again. "He's this huge dragon that devours Gorons alive! He was defeated twice by two different people – the Hero of the Gorons and the Hero of the Time. Now, he has been revived with the intention of eating us all!" Darron's beady black eyes were wide, and his gestures were animated and intense.

"I believe that this is your first test as the next Hero," Sheik stated in his normal calm and serious manner. "You have everything that you need, Link, and you know what to do."

I furrowed my brow. "I don't have a weapon, Sheik, and I don't know what I'm doing at all."

"Am I really that bad of a teacher?" Sheik questioned. "The song I taught you – It's called the Bolero of Fire. You can use it to teleport you to the Fire Temple, which is within Death Mountain Crater. And you know how to use a sword. I'm sure we can find some decent swords around here somewhere, what say you, Darron?"

"And little brother will need a Goron Tunic to protect himself from the heat in the Crater," Darron added. "I'll go find a Goron Tunic and a sword and bring it to you here. From there, you can go to the Fire Temple and defeat Volvagia."

I stuttered and stammered, unsure of what was about to occur. I definitely did not think that I was ready for situation at hand. "Uh – OK?"

"Do you mind if I slip into your shadow?" Sheik questioned as Darron headed off, in search of some sort of weapon I would be able to use.

"Sure," I shrugged. Sheik tucked his lyre into his special pouch, and it morphed in size. He then literally slipped into my shadow with ease, as though he had done the sort millions of times before; I supposed he had. Perhaps that was how he was able to sneak past our guards back at the Fortress. He could have simply slipped into Zelda or any of the guards' shadows, effectively making it past our defensives.

I stood, waiting for Darron. By now, it was the dead of night, possibly around one in the morning. I yawned, slightly tired. Was I going to be able to defeat a huge dragon while feeling this exhausted? Around fifteen minutes went by with no sign of the young Goron until he returned with not a sword – He returned with a huge steel hammer. What in Hyrule was I supposed to do with that thing?!

I felt Sheik shake within my shadow and presumed he was laughing. Haha, _so_ funny, Sheik.

"Little brother!" Darron handed the huge weapon over to me, and my arms were immediately weighed down by the steel hammer. "I couldn't find a sword, but I found this hammer! – It's not just any other hammer – It's the legendary Megaton Hammer! You know, the one used by the Hero of the Gorons and the Hero of Time?"

I adjusted to the weight by using both hands; there really wasn't any other possible way for me to carry it. "The Hero of Time used this?" I was slightly impressed. The Hero used this weight to defeat Volvagia?

"Well, he didn't use it to defeat Volvagia, if that's what you're thinking. He used it throughout his journey, though," Darron spoke, as though reading my mind. "You have to go, Link."

"So I play the Bolero of Fire to get to Death Mountain Crater?" I questioned. Sheik nodded from within my shadow.

Darron held the Megaton Hammer for a few minutes as I pulled the Goron Tunic over my head. I accepted the hammer back as well as accepting my fate, if you will. "Thanks for the help, Darron," I stated, whipping out my Ocarina. I could feel Sheik nodding in approval once more. I played the Bolero of Fire carefully and felt myself teleport away to Death Mountain Crater. The overwhelming heat was immense and insufferable. Sweat rolled down my face, and I began to pant.

There were multiple rickety wooden bridges, and red-orange magma flowed freely underneath them. I placed an unsure foot on the first bridge, testing its durability. Finding it to be alright, I stepped onto it fully, testing my full weight, along with Sheik in my shadow. I tucked my Ocarina away once more before walking to the other side of the bridge.

Wiping away sweat, I continued across all of the bridges and though a stone passage, the fiery red light reflecting off the walls. I came to what appeared to be a hole in the ground. After examining it for several moments, I discovered that it was the entrance to the Fire Halls and headed down a wooden ladder. I was in – Well, we were in, if you count Sheik.

I continued through another smaller stone passage, finally arriving at the actual Fire Temple. I began to step near the set of steps leading upward, but Sheik began squirming in my shadow, and I presumed it to be a trap. I heaved myself up above the side of the staircase, and flames shot up near the front of the staircase. Sheik was right – It was a trap. I climbed up the rest of the staircase, heading to the left. There, I entered a door and found a small chamber.

Darunia stood, eyeing me levelly. "What brings you here, Link?"

Panting, I opened my mouth to respond, Sheik squirming in my shadow – for what reason I wasn't sure. Holding up the Megaton Hammer to show my purpose in coming to one of the inner chambers of the Fire Temple, I cleared my throat. "I am here to destroy Volvagia." I could feel Sheik nod his head in approval from the depths of my shadow.

Darunia took in my stance, complete with the legendary hammer. "You are willing to wield the Megaton Hammer and defeat Volvagia?" he breathed.

I nodded confidently. "I am. I can do this." The Triforce on my left hand glowed brightly in response to my statement, while my stomach churned at the thought of facing a huge dragon. This was not what I was expecting to do when I left the Domain.

Darunia sighed heavily. "I suppose that I have no other choice than to let you in. Here is the key to the door that leads to the inner-most chamber of the Fire Halls," he held out a gold key. Although it was huge in its own right, it was engulfed in Darunia's large palms.

I accepted the big key, turning it over in my hands as I felt its smooth texture. "Does this sound OK to you, Sheik?" I questioned, knowing that if something wasn't right, then Sheik would know. I had begun to trust his judgment, both as Zelda's older brother and as a friend. He nodded from within my shadow, as I had begun to grow accustomed to. I panted; the sweltering heat was getting to me, even though I wore the Goron Tunic. Sweat poured from my face, and the flowing molten rock beneath seemed to mock me tauntingly.

Darunia stepped away from the entrance to the innermost chamber of the Fire Temple – home to Volvagia. "Good luck to you, Link."

"Thanks, Darunia. I think I'll be needing it soon enough," I stepped up to the door, inserting the gold key in its huge lock. Creaking, the heavy door opened, swinging on its hinges slightly. I entered, wary of any tricks this dragon may have. I jumped to a stone platform then to an even bigger slab of rock. The platform behind me broke, sinking into the rushes of magma. I had no way to get to the door when this was over. Would this even be over?

Wondering where the dragon was, I spoke provokingly. "Volvagia! Where are you, coward?" Peering around the chamber, I remained on my guard, walking around cautiously.

From within my shadow, Sheik fidgeted uncomfortably, and I felt the ground begin to shake uncontrollably. I then met with what I presume to be Volvagia, bursting from a hole he created in the middle of the slab. He had a fiery aura about him, which was to be expected. He had what looked to be a huge fiery mane, and, although he didn't have any wings, he could fly. He didn't look too happy to see me, though. Snorting, he began to breathe fire and launch attacks at me. In all honestly, I was in awe. He was such a majestic creature, but I knew that I had to end him and his tyranny. Should any Goron wander into this chamber, it had to be dragon-free, or else disaster might occur.

He lashed out at me, flames leaping from his opened mouth. I wasn't sure what his weak spot was and began to panic.

 _"Link!"_ Sheik's voice echoed within my head. _"Focus and use your instincts! You know what to do!"_ I paused in shock momentarily before recovering.

 _"Telepathy?"_ I questioned within my mind, and Sheik nodded from within my shadow. I then focused myself and blocked everything else out, following Sheik's instruction and honing in on my instincts, which pretty much consisted of me attacking any open part of the beast's body in an obvious frenzied panic.

Volvagia approached, and I slid on the loose rock beneath me, scrambling, trying to get away from the monster. I had no shield because of the immense weight of the hammer. Squinting, I swung at Volvagia, not quite sure what or where I was supposed to swing.

The beast seemed to mock my attempts, flying high to the ceiling of the chamber, knocking rocks down. Because I had no shield or form of cover, I had to run quickly, dodging any rocks that came my way. Volvagia then flew downward, and fire rained down on me. Smoke overwhelmed me, and I coughed, fighting to breath. Tongues of fire taunted me, burning my delicate, exposed skin, although I wore the Goron Tunic.

Volvagia knocked more boulders down, and I rushed to the side of the platform, dropping the hammer on the ground and lowering my body on the side of the platform, clinging to the edge. My feet were dangling above the hot magma, and I could feel its scorching heat. Once again, the dragon began to attack me with his fire while my panic renewed itself. Grabbing my hammer and using my upper body to pull myself upward, I heaved myself back onto the stone platform, slipping a bit. Ready to meet the beast, I dashed toward the center, hammer raised. The monster watched me with contempt, lowering itself so that it was level with me, and looked me in the eyes.

Mesmerized by the evil creature before me and without much thought, I involuntarily stabbed at the beast's head, striking at him again and again, hoping that something would make its mark.

Volvagia let out a pained roar, and I knew that I had found his weak point. I was just shocked that I had found it by primarily using my instinct. Relieved, I waited for the beast to try to attack me once more. I swung with the legendary Megaton Hammer, and a battle cry ripped from my throat. The mechanics of the hammer were actually quite similar to that of a sword, although I still believed that a sword was easier to use. Perhaps my opinion came from the fact that I had always practiced with my sword growing up, excelling in it. I had learned from one of the best – Ganondorf.

I focused on the battle at hand – one between Hylian and dragon. I advanced, circling around the beast. Volvagia attempted to ambush me with sneak attacks, using boulders, playing dirty. I responded by retaliating with blows from the Megaton Hammer when he flew downward to make eye contact. Unfortunately, because of the hammer's weight, I had to use both hands, hindering the agility of my movements slightly so that I wasn't as quick on my feet as normal.

My panic had died down slightly, although fear still dictated many of my movements, acting on the defense. There were several instances where I forced the hammer to move, going on the offense, but for the most part, I wanted to preserve my strength.

The battle ended abruptly with me as the victor. I had tripped slightly, propelling myself forward, and the beast had happened to be dipping downward, trying to strike me. We ended up crashing into one another with my hammer held above me, acting like a shield against the beast. The dragon was thrown violently into the steady stream of molten rock waiting for him. He caught on fire, bursting into flames. Burning, the flesh on his body disappeared, leaving merely brittle bones in the dragon's place. I wiped the sweat from my forehead, relieved with the defeat of the monster while still feeling extremely exhausted.

" _Excellent work,"_ Sheik stated. He applauded from within my shadow. It was interesting. While he was in my shadow, I was able to feel all of his movements, and we were apparently able to communicate telepathically.

" _Thanks,"_ I responded gratefully. I was glad that was over with; carrying the hammer, I turned to face the door. The platform was restored, and Darunia stood, proud and tall with his arms crossed. Joining, I jumped, landing perfectly.

Tired with exhaustion, I stumbled to the open door, eager to escape this blazing inferno.

"Thank you, Link," Darunia stated. "You've saved us all from that monster."

I shrugged, panting heavily. "No problem," I answered. Staggering away, I made my way with Darunia back to his office.

" _Are you OK, Link?"_ Sheik questioned worriedly.

" _I'll be fine,"_ I responded. We arrived back at Darunia's office, and Sheik immediately slipped out of my shadow, helping Darunia steady me. Completely wasted, I collapsed on the floor, temporarily withdrawing from the world.

Dreams flitted to my subconscious; I savored what felt like a few moments with my dream Zelda and parents, telling them about everything I had encountered on my journey so far. Those moments were short-lived, however, and I awoke to the sound of Sheik's lyre. He was playing the recognizable tune of the Song of Healing, and opening my eyes, I immediately felt soothed.

"Ah, you're awake," Sheik stated matter-of-factly, pausing in his playing.

"How long have I been out?" I questioned, rubbing the back of my head slightly. My head ached, throbbing with pain, and I could feel that some blisters had formed from the intense inferno heat.

Sheik shrugged. "About five or six hours. You're recovered now, so you need to learn your next song."

"But wait, Sheik," I commanded. "Didn't we go to defeat Volvagia in the middle of the night?"

Sheik nodded. "Yes; we need to leave extremely soon, though. Our time here at Goron City is over." He began to play the cheerful melody of his song and waited for me to speak.

"But we just got here today!" I interjected. We had just gotten here, and we had to leave already? That didn't seem right.

"Correction," Sheik began. "We got here yesterday. We need to leave today. You'll understand why once I teach you your next song."

I fished my Ocarina out of the enchanted pouch hanging from my sweaty Goron Tunic. "OK?" I responded uncertainly. I was tired, and I longed for those few moments with Zelda to return to me, even if they were just dreams.

"Alright; you know the drill," Sheik answered. He began plucking his lyre, creating a cheerful, joyful melody.

Memories from the back of my mind were pulled forward, triggered. A name was on the tip of my tongue, and I fumbled with what to say. I couldn't grasp it, so I placed the Ocarina at my lips, copying the jovial tune. After several run-throughs, I caught it, and the name burst from my lips, unbidden: "Saria!"

* * *

 **Hey again! This chapter was slightly longer than before which is why it took me a bit longer. I can definitely see me getting off schedule a lot, so seriously, please favorite/follow. Your support means the world to me. And thanks to everyone that has done just that so far. You guys are awesome!**

 **(But seriously – I have school, and I'm now beta-ing, so yeah… O_O)**

 **Um… I hope this doesn't seem too much like OoT. I'm trying to kinda stay off that path, but certain events seem slightly similar. Things will start to shake up as the plot thickens, though.**

 **Song Obsession: Super Mario Galaxy Soundtrack**

 **Can anyone guess what song Sheik was playing at twilight? I hope that was obvious enough, but I want to see if it actually… was… O-O**

 **If you want to be even more awesome, you can check out my next distraction, by the name of Hey. It's a high school Zelink AU, and I'm definitely trying to stay away from all the cliches. ;)**

 **Anyways, if you feel so inclined, pleas drop a review down below, and LOVE! ^^**

 **~Elsie {Zelda}**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **4,689**


	13. Chapter XII

"You're leaving already, Brother?" Darron questioned concernedly. We were currently congregated in Darunia's "office," discussing the plan Sheik and I had concocted after I had learned what Sheik had called "Saria's Song." We had to head to the Kokiri Forest, just south of the Lost Woods.

Sheik nodded, resigned. "We have to. The fate of Hyrule is at stake, and we can't let Ganondorf trace us back to Goron City. He would slaughter everyone, and things would be worse than if Volvagia had gotten loose. Besides, we have to talk to Saria." He lifted his hood over his head and secured his cowl more firmly, concealing the majority of his face.

"And I would have loved to come with you all, but I must protect the brethren," Darunia stated, "which is why I will be sending you, Darron. You are to join the Wanderers in their quest." He gave Darron a hard pat – or slap – on the back. "You're ready, Son."

I froze. Son? Darron was Darunia's son? Successor? What if something happened to him? What would the Gorons do? Would they have to choose another Goron to take over Darunia's position when he passed?

Darron bowed his head solemnly. "You really think so, Father?" he questioned.

Why had he not called Darunia "father" in the first place? I supposed that it was some weird Goron tradition or cultural thing.

"I do, Son," Darunia responded, pulling Darron into a hug. "Now you be careful, you hear me? If something – happens to you like your –" Darunia stopped abruptly, holding back a sob.

Darron embraced his father in return. "I know, Father. You don't need to relive any of those memories. I understand."

Brows furrowing, I resolved to ask Sheik about this whole situation later because, frankly, it confused me. What had Darunia been about to say? And why had Darron silenced him like that? Aqua nudged me discreetly. "Link, we're about to head out."

I nodded absently, the words of the prophecy echoing within my head. _Two beams of light. Shadow native to light. Two tears. Burning rage and steadfastness. A shy yet cheerful joy._ It puzzled me to no end, and I forced my wobbly limbs to move forward, following my companions.

"Hey, Link," Darunia called, placing a heavy hand on my shoulder. I turned to face him. "You can keep the hammer. It seems to have chosen you. Oh – And bring the Princess over here to see me one day when all this is over, you hear?"

Breathing in deeply, fighting to speak, I nodded shakily. "Sure will, Darunia."

"That's my boy," Darunia spoke fondly. He passed his son a salute, which Darron returned readily. "And there's my son."

Leaving the comfort, warmth, and security of Goron City and Death Mountain, we began our descent down the main incline of the mountain. Rings of smoke puffed from Death Mountain Crater, almost as though wishing us farewell. I couldn't help but feel rather sorrowful that we were leaving so soon, but every moment we stayed left more opportunity for Ganondorf and Ren to find us. We had already had to leave Zora's Domain for the safety of the Zoras, as well as Zelda, Nabs, Aziz, and Nabila; the same now had to be done for the safety of the Gorons.

Lifting one weary foot up after the other repeatedly brought us to the bottom of the Mountain after little effort and exertion. We were tired, but the downward path helped provide rest for our fatigued bodies. Aqua and Marine chattered constantly like the good twins they were, and Darron and Cove were walking ahead, talking amiably. Sheik had his hood up and was gazing up at the bright blue sky, kicking rocks with his eyes downcast.

Sighing, I felt the lump in my pocket: my Ocarina. Withdrawing the magical instrument from my pocket, I lifted it to my lips, beginning to play Zelda's Lullaby softly to myself. An image of Zelda, in tears, drifted to my mind – the memory of our departure. She had been so downcast, looking so hopeless. I wanted to bring a smile to her face – to make her laugh. I wanted to see her joy. I loved her laugh and missed it terribly. I missed her terribly! The journey from the Desert to the Domain had been a long and tedious one, and now we were miles apart, the distance growing all the time.

The melody of the song lulled my thoughts, soothing me. I allowed myself to be pulled into the vibes the song gave and found myself drawn into an image – or a memory – or something – a young man in a green tunic standing confidently next to a huge Castle. A young woman was by his side, and her countenance was one of distress. The man pulled her close, and in an instant, the Castle fell to the ground in ruins. My lips parted in shock, and I began breathing heavily.

"Are you alright, Link?" Marine questioned concernedly. She and Aqua had stopped, watching me curiously, and Darron and Cove had continued to walk. It was only then that I realized that Sheik wasn't present.

I scratched my head; Sheik's disappearance was the perfect distraction from the odd image that had embedded itself in my mind. "Where's Sheik?" I asked, scanning the area for the Hylian Prince turned Sheikah warrior.

 _"_ _Right here, Link,"_ Sheik's telepathic message echoed through my head, and I knew that he was in my shadow.

"Oh, OK," I said aloud. Aqua and Marine looked at me strangely, and I remembered that they couldn't hear Sheik when he was within my shadow. Only I could. Sheik had told me that the only time we could communicate telepathically was when he was within my shadow. The only other time we could communicate like that was using Sheik's Song when he was far away. "Um… Sheik's fine. He had to go for a bit," I stammered, trying to construct a response.

"What?" Aqua knew that something was up. I could tell by the way she glared at me.

 _"_ _Just tell them, Link,"_ Sheik commanded. _"Things will be easier if they know anyways."_

 _"_ _Fine,"_ I responded. "Sheik is in my shadow," I stated aloud, shrugging.

By now, Darron and Cove had stopped in their tracks, turning to face us. "What did you just say?" their expressions mirrored each other's – confused.

"Sheik's in my shadow. As a Sheikah warrior, he has the ability to slip into the shadows of others," I explained.

"Oh," Cove shrugged. He and Darron continued walking ahead, and Aqua and Marine joined them, leaving me behind.

Dark thoughts flooded my mind. _Betrayal._ The word echoed through my mind, but I wasn't sure why. Forcing myself to focus, I heaved the Megaton Hammer over my shoulder and walked behind my companions. Although I was surrounded by friends, I couldn't rid myself of the feeling of being completely, utterly _alone_.

After a period of walking and thinking (at least in my case), we came to a large wooden gate, and Sheik slipped out of my shadow. "Kron!" he called.

"Sheik?" a young male Sheikah whipped around to face our small group. "You're here?"

Sheik nodded and laughed. "Where's the boss?" he questioned.

"Right inside! You should go say hi to her, otherwise she'd be very upset that her favorite student came through without saying hello, assuming, of course, that you're not here to stay," Kron responded. He joined us quickly, performing some complicated traditional Sheikah handshake with the shadow native to light.

"Unfortunately, I'm not. We're headed to the Kokiri Forest to see Saria," Sheik answered, leaning against the gate lazily.

Kron sighed. "That's too bad. We've missed you around here – especially Impa. She envisions you as another son and hates it when you leave."

Nodding, Sheik spoke again. "I know. I hate to do it, but I have to care for Zelda and listen to my 'father.'"

"Well," Kron began, "some introductions are due now, aren't they?" He eyed us oddly, and I supposed that we were a strange bunch. Three Zoras, a Goron, and a really tan Hylian.

"Ah, that's right now," Sheik nodded. "Meet the Wanderers: Link, Prince of the Gerudo; Darron, Successor for Darunia, Patriarch of the Gorons; and Aqua and Marine, the Princesses of the Zora. We're making our way to the Kokiri Forest to visit someone," he turned to face us. "Guys, this is Kron, the son of my mentor."

"Pleasure to meet you," Kron stated, holding his hand out cordially.

I accepted, and he pumped our interlocked hands up and down. "The same here."

"We should head over. Mom's going to be excited that you're back – You should have brought Zelda with you!" Kron spoke. He set a steady pace, leading us into his village. From my limited knowledge of Hyrule, I guessed that this was Kakariko Village.

"I wish I could have!" Sheik responded. "But she's safe at Zora's Domain, and I didn't want to have to worry about her too much. I mean, she's a perfectly capable girl; I'm just the over-protective big brother."

"I feel you," Kron agreed. "Let's pretend that I'm big brother number two," he joked. "But in all honesty, I worry for her sometimes. I know that she's perfectly capable of defending herself, but I just – I don't know. I've seen her go through so much pain, and I want to protect her from that at all costs." He knew Zelda? I supposed that that made sense – After all, Sheik had trained with his mother, so it would be natural for Zelda to know his family.

I gazed around me, interested in everything this village had to offer. It was composed of small cottage-like houses with red shingled roofs. A large windmill could be seen in the distance, jutting into sight above the roofs of the houses. It seemed like a nice place. I remembered reading a rather large tome Nabs had given me that had mentioned Kakariko in brief, saying that it was home to many Sheikah. That also made sense; there were many Sheikah walking about, enjoying their day.

There were fields used for training, and young children were being pushed to their limits, competing against each other, trying to be the best. I had read about this too. Young Sheikah began training at very young ages in order to prepare themselves for service for the Royal Family, whether it be a personal or simply keeping fellow Hyruleans in line. That came after the Selection. The Selection was always a very important moment in a young Sheikah's life. That was the event that decided their future – their fate – their purpose in life.

Young Sheikah teens would battle against their mentors, masters, and each other, determining who would be best suited for a certain job. The most coveted job of all was Guardian. If you were a Guardian, you were the protector of a member of the Royal Family; being a Guardian was a position of high honor and respect in the Sheikah community and was the position all young Sheikah children dreamed about.

Watching them fence and throw daggers at incredibly tiny targets was crazy. I was amazed and impressed as I saw the accuracy of those children; they couldn't have been more than ten or eleven, but they were skilled.

Adults also sparred and practiced dart throwing without breaking a sweat. I could tell that they had experience, battle worn yet still fighting. Their dedication to the Royal Family and their own people was admirable, and I recognized it.

We walked down a winding dirt path that led to the houses. I wasn't sure where we were going but guessed that we were going to visit Sheik's mentor. We stopped before a specific house, close to the windmill. Heading inside after Kron knocked, I gazed at my surroundings, taking everything in.

An older female Sheikah stood in the small foyer, supposedly waiting for her son. Her white hair was pulled into a tight bun, and her piercing red eyes fell on us upon our entrance. "Kron," she stated. Her eyes then landed on Sheik. "Sheik!" she exclaimed, drawing him into a motherly embrace.

"Hi, Impa," Sheik chuckled, returning the hug. "I feel like I've been doing this a whole lot more recently. You know, the whole being chased by love-sick female Zoras, crushed by ginormous Goron brethren, and now being in the death grip of my Sheikah mommy."

Impa smacked the back of his head affectionately. "Shut up, you hear? I'm not a 'mommy.'"

"What am I?!" Kron asked. "Chopped cucco?!"

Impa responded by pulling Kron close lovingly. "You'll always be my little baby."

"Ah, mom!" Kron shook her off humorously.

"Will you make up your mid already, boy?!" Impa responded by smacking him on the head, similar to how she done so to Sheik.

Darron, the twins, Cove, and I watched the reunion awkwardly, shuffling our feet and clearing our throats. "Don't get used to this," Sheik hissed. "She's never like this," he motioned to Impa. "She's normally very strict, stern, and scary."

Kron nodded, agreeing. "We call it the three s's of a Sheikah mom."

After the initial welcoming, Impa reverted back to "normal" self with a straight face, arms folded. "Why are you here, Sheik? I love you dearly, but I would like to know what's going on with you that you would crash my house with no warning with guests."

"Sorry, Impa," Sheik apologized. "We're heading to the Kokiri Forest to talk to Saria."

Impa's red eyes flashed with recognition. "We'll go with you," she breathed quickly.

"What? Impa? You want to come with us?" Sheik's brows furrowed at the unexpected turn of events.

"Yes; take us with you. This can be a part of the completion of Kron's training. You'd be helping us, and we can help you. Besides – What's here for me anymore? I'm getting older; there's no denying that, but I believe that I still have a good amount of fighting years in me still. Sheik – Let us go with you," Impa requested.

I could tell that Sheik's resolve was wavering. Moments of silence followed for a bit before he finally sighed. "Fine; if you insist," he relented.

"I do," Impa stated; her voice firm was and strong. She left the room to pack, I presumed.

"Kron?" a feminine voice came from outside. A pretty female Sheikah entered the house. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't realize you had guests," she meekly withdrew from the doorway, turning to exit.

"Wait –" Kron called, touching her extended arm gently. "Sheik, everyone, this is Zilla, my fiancée." The girl turned around to face us, a smile lighting up her pretty face.

"Kron – You're engaged?" Sheik exclaimed happily. "That's wonderful! Doesn't it feel like everyone is moving on in life? I mean, there's Nabs and Aziz – and…" he threw a meaningful glance at Marine and Cove's entwined hands.

"Zilla," Kron breathed softly, his red eyes flitting to hers. He wore a cowl of his own so his speech was slightly muffled like Sheik. "I'm going to be joining Sheik and his friends, the Wanderers, as well as my mom. We'll be back soon, though, I'm sure."

Zilla's eyes widened worriedly, and they mirrored the expression of mixed fright and concern that Zelda had worn for me before we had left. "Kron – You can't go. Not so close to our wedding day. And I don't want you to go."

Kron pulled her closer, her lithe form flush against his sturdy and slim frame. "Zilla," he whispered. I figured that that was going to turn into a private moment, and I turned away, remembering how awkward it had felt when I spoke with Zelda in a similar manner and someone had burst in on us.

I took the opportunity to gaze around the house. It was small yet cozy. The hardwood floor had hardly a speck on it and looked as though it was definitely taken care of. There were several windows with shutters in the foyer, letting in sun, but giving the option of closing them for more privacy. Near the door were neat lines of shoes all in a row, and everything was put in its place.

"I'm going with you," Zilla declared loudly. Her arms were folded, and her eyes showed pure determination as well as love for her fiancé. She wore her traditional Sheikah bodysuit with chest bindings and a cowl. Her ensemble was a combination of both blue and green and was made for quick getaways.

Kron wore something similar Zilla's with more of a masculine look. Right now, his arms were crossed as well, and his brows furrowed. I couldn't see his expression because of his cowl, but I could tell that he did _not_ want Zilla to come with him, and I didn't blame him. I hadn't wanted Zelda to come with us because I wanted her to remain safe. "Zilla – You _can't_ come with me. You don't understand –"

"No, Kron," Zilla cut him off. " _You_ don't understand. I _need_ to go with you. And you won't be able to stop me." She kicked at the hardwood floor vehemently, eyes downcast, glaring angrily.

Kron growled at the back of his throat. "Zilla – I have to stop you. You _can't_ come with me," his voice rose then fell. "What would I do if I _lost_ you?" his voice broke, and he sunk to the floor on his knees, sobbing.

Zilla immediately dropped to her knees as well, throwing an arm around her love. "We'll make it, Kron. I _promise_."

I then looked away from the private moment. Everyone had turned away, not making a sound, looking around awkwardly. Impa stepped into the room with supplies, "Are we ready to go?" her eyes then fell on Kron and Zilla. Sighing, she walked over to them, handing the supplies over to Sheik. "I know, Kron. I know," was all she said to her son. "Let's go." She took back the supplies from Sheik, exiting her home.

I followed behind her with the twins, Darron, and Cove. Sheik and Zilla helped Kron stand, joining us outside. "I'm coming," Zilla declared softly, making her decision.

I spotted a group of cuccos, receiving a bright idea from the very back of my mind and deciding that I would try it out before we left Kakariko Village. In the end, I found out that ideas from the back of your mind are at the back of your mind for a reason – Let's just say that I ended up running from a flock of extremely vexed cuccos. Not a pretty sight, that's for sure.

* * *

 **Ah, those fond memories of being chased by a flock of angry cuccos. ^^ Thanks to everyone that has faved and followed this story. Things are definitely going to be hard going from now on, so please subscribe. ;) Thanks to everyone that has subscribed because you are awesome. ;D**

 **Oh – By the way, the guys at Gerudo Fortress are Gerudo. I forgot to mention that; I know it seems weird, but this is an AU… Yay! Impa's in! Along with some more OCs. -_- How did they get in here? *wink*wink***

 **Song Obsession: "Sing Me a Love Song" and "Beautiful Ending" by the BarlowGirls**

 **Sorry for the wait, by the way. ^-^ But that's what you get when you put me in front of YouTube with a bag of chocolate. ;)**

 **Anyways… if you feel so inclined, please drop a review down below. It makes you even MORE awesome – Is that even possible? O_O *smiles* and LOVE ;D**

 **~Elsie {Zelda}**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **3,119**


	14. Chapter XIII

"Are you OK, Link?" Marine questioned, stifling a giggle as she and Aqua watched me attempt to hobble along with everyone else while in deep pain.

Groaning, I waved her away. "Don't talk to me." My body ached from tripping in the dirt multiple times while trying to escape those stupid cuccos. They had started pecking and attacking me, and I had scrambled (pun intended) away, trying to escape those crazy birds' reach. Of course, I hadn't entirely escape unscathed. Everyone else had cracked up while watching me run around like a cucco without a head, not offering me _any_ assistance. Even Sheik had been hiding a guffaw! – Somewhere.

"Beaten by some scrawny birds, Link?" Aqua teased good-naturedly.

I opened my mouth to respond but decided that a mere glare would suffice.

Darron punched my arm "lightly" and didn't even _bother_ disguising his guffaw. "Your pride take a blow, eh, Link?"

"Don't talk to me," I responded, glaring daggers at everyone, causing them to burst into more fits of laughter; even Sheik and Impa cracked a smile.

My body, aching from my encounter with those cuccos, almost refused to go on as we approached a wooden bridge. Sheik slipped into my shadow as he was prone to do now; it had become a habit of his, and I stepped on the bridge first. It wobbled slightly, but I continued, keeping my eyes trained ahead. From the corner of my eye, I could see that others had begun stepping on the bridge as well, testing its sturdiness.

I made my way across the bridge and came to a small clearing. The twisting boughs of tall trees created a huge canopy that blocked out any and all light that tried to penetrate it. Shadows danced tauntingly, and I could no longer hear anyone else. Sheik squirmed in my shadow, and I turned back to where the bridge used to be.

Trees.

There were only trees where the bridge used to be. Eyes widening, I was struck by an awful epiphany. We were in the Lost Woods. I didn't have a fairy. As a child at the Fortress, we had always been taught that if we ever received the privilege of traveling outside of Gerudo territory, we would have to be diligent in avoiding the Lost Woods.

According to legend, should a child ever venture into the Lost Woods without a fairy, they would become a Skull Kid. The same would go for an adult as well, although they would turn into a Stalfos. Suddenly, this adventure of finding Saria became so much scarier – I didn't even know who Saria was.

 _"_ _Link,"_ Sheik snapped sternly, _"Focus. I don't know what just happened, but we have to figure this out to get to Saria. Do you still have the hammer?"_

 _"_ _Well, yeah. I mean, I couldn't just get rid –"_ I paused, hearing something very odd.

Nothing.

Snapping to attention and holding the Megaton Hammer firmly with both hands, I heaved in a deep breath, _"Did you hear that, Sheik?"_ I knew that if something had actually just occurred, Sheik would have heard it; because of his abilities as an honorary Sheikah, his senses were heightened, and I knew that I could depend on him to mention anything out of the ordinary.

I felt him shift uncomfortably as he nodded, not verbally responding.

 _"_ _What do you think it was?"_ I questioned uncertainly.

A flute could be heard playing in the distance, and my brows furrowed. Why did this feel so familiar? I remained ready on my feet, scanning the area for anything that looked harmful – anything alive.

 _"_ _I don't know for sure, but it might be –"_ Sheik was cut off at the sound of an eerie, high-pitched laugh.

 _"_ _Sh – Sheik?"_ I asked shakily. Rustling could be heard in the distance, and I suddenly wished that everyone else was here with me. I had Sheik, of course, but this was extremely unnerving. Not knowing who – or what – that was drove me insane. The trees cast creepy shadows on the ground, and footsteps could be heard – approaching.

Uncertainly, I placed one foot in front of the other, wanting to investigate but not completely compliant with what my instincts were telling me to do.

I could feel Sheik wrap around my life core – my life support. He was no longer within my shadow. He only did this when impending danger was present. This was bad. _"Link. I'm not sure – Be careful. I'm ready if you need any backup, but I think you'll be fine."_

 _"_ _Wait – Sheik! Can you help me?"_ I asked frantically as the flute playing echoed throughout the lonely woods.

Shadows. Footsteps. Flutes. Laughter.

This was messing with my head. I kept my eyes trained on the trees ahead of me as another laugh was heard. Cringing, I gulped nervously.

"Hee hee!" the laugh was heard again. "Silly Hylian! You don't have a fairy!" a creature with a straw hat and an odd costume jumped down in front of me. He prodded me with a big stick, and I stepped back. "Hee hee! This is a fun game!" He continued to jab and poke me with the stick, and frankly, I was not in the mood to deal with a child with a stupid stick – Wait – Was he a Skull Kid?

It appeared that Sheik had the same idea. _"He's a Skull Kid,"_ he stated confidently.

"What do you want, Skull Kid?" I questioned, holding out my hammer confidently.

Apparently, that wasn't the right thing to say because suddenly, four other Skull Kids joined us in the clearing. "Aw, boo! What did you just call me?!" the first Skull Kid asked jeeringly, lifting his flute to his lips. I _thought_ that he was going to continue to play that haunting song he was playing earlier, but this time, he used the instrument to spit a projectile at me.

 _"_ _Tread carefully, Link,"_ Sheik instructed. _"Befriend them. They may be of help to us."_

 _"_ _Easy for you to say,"_ I grumbled. _"You're not the one dealing with five cackling Skull Kids!"_ Nevertheless, I paid heed to Sheik's advice, deciding to get on the Skull Kids' good sides, if it wasn't already too late. Somehow, an instinct kicked in and commanded me to take out my Ocarina. Not knowing what else to do, I obeyed and took out the instrument. The Skull Kids watched me with curiosity as I lifted the Ocarina to my lips. The cheerful melody that I had just learned came from the instrument, rich and full.

"Hee hee! What are you doing?" one of the Skull Kids asked, swaying to the music. The rest of the Skull Kids joined in while the first mimicked the tune on his flute.

 _"_ _Smart move, Hero,"_ Sheik praised.

Not allowing myself to swell with pride, I continued to play the melody, incorporating Zelda's Lullaby and Sheik's Theme in some parts.

The first Skull Kid, the leader, applauded feverishly, and the rest of them followed suit. "Hee hee! I like that! Are you looking for Saria?"

I nodded my head quickly. "Do you know her?" I pocketed my Ocarina now that the Skull Kids appeared to be in a better mood.

"Hee hee!" the first Skull Kid cackled. That was definitely starting to weird me out. "We know where Saria is! Hee hee!"

"Where is she?" I questioned. I wasn't sure whether or not I was in the Lost Woods or the Kokiri Forest, but I did know that I desperately wanted to find Saria – Better yet, I wanted to just go somewhere safe where I wasn't being hunted like a dog. I wanted to be with Zelda. Zelda! What happened to her? Nabs? Aziz? Nabila? My heart clenched within my chest, and I repeated my question with more determination and conviction. "Where's Saria?"

The Skull Kid flipped his flute in the air then caught it again with ease. "Well… Hee hee… We could help you… But it'll come with a cost…"

I smashed my fist into a nearby tree, fighting back the feeling of pain that came with it. "What's your cost?" I held back my rage, becoming impatient.

 _"_ _Link,"_ Sheik stated warningly. _"Calm down. We don't want to lose their help."_

I remained silent as the Skull Kid pondered my question excruciatingly slowly. He was doing it on purpose, I knew. Finally, he let out a cringe-worthy laugh. "Hee hee! We'll do it for another song!" He began clapping his hands, and the other Skull Kids followed suit.

"I agree," I responded quickly, patting the pouch that held my Ocarina.

"Hee hee!" the lead exclaimed. "Follow us, Mr. Adult!"

Trying to distinguish among the different Skull Kids was proving to be quite difficult, and the only difference I could find among all of them was the color of their "jackets". The lead Skull Kid wore orange; another wore blue, and so on. Still, if they had names, I preferred to use those. "What's your name?" I asked as the Skull Kid pack began to run off.

The Skull Kids all stopped abruptly – in unison. Were all Skull Kids forced to live a life of conformity? A life of "sameness"? The lead laughed – hollowly. "Hee – hee." It sounded forced and meaningless. "No – we don't have names."

Although they were merely Skull Kids, my heart broke for them. Forced to live a life of sameness and conformity had to be awful. Resolved, I cleared my throat. "Would you like names?" I asked, keeping my voice kind.

"You would do that for us?" the lead Skull Kid questioned skeptically.

I nodded. "I will – if you want me to."

"Please?" the Skull Kids echoed simultaneously.

"Jamu," I pointed at the leader. "Aman; Rilus; Ko; and Lazis," I continued to gesture at each Skull Kid, christening them.

"I'm Jamu!" the leader exclaimed, pointing to himself proudly. "I'm Jamu the leader of the East Woods Skull Kids!" He took out his flute and began playing the tune that Sheik had taught me earlier. "We'll take you to Saria – You must be her friend because you know her song – Saria's Song. Hee hee. Follow me – Jamu, Leader of the East Woods Skull Kids!" Cackling, he bounded off, the other Skull Kids following behind him.

Aman and Lazis were stationed behind me as a rearguard, and Rilus and Ko came behind Jamu who was busily playing his flute. Sheik relaxed around my life core, slipping back into my shadow wordlessly.

Everything about this seemed so weird and odd – a bit unnerving even. I wasn't sure what to make of the "East Woods Skull Kids" or their practices. They all seemed to have this creepy, cringe-worthy cackle, and I winced every time they did so. _"Sheik – Are you coming out of my shadow now?"_ I questioned.

 _"_ _I'd rather not; if you need extra help, I'm here, but I think it would be best if our little friends over here don't know that I'm here,"_ Sheik responded. He shifted, and I felt him place something into my mind. An image of Zelda popped into my head, and my eyes widened in shock – I hadn't been expecting that. _"Do you miss her?"_ he asked.

How'd he guess? The memory he had shared with me was one of Zelda standing on a balcony at the Castle. The wind was playing with her blonde tresses, and just the thought of her silvery laughter brought a smile to my face. Subconsciously humming Zelda's Lullaby to myself, I nodded, even though Sheik was unable to see the action – at least I didn't think he could. _"A lot. I can't wait until I see her again."_

"Aw, boo!" Jamu exclaimed. He was certainly quite loud. "What're you waiting for, Mr. Adult?!" he scampered back to where I was standing, swinging his wooden flute on a well-worn cord that was _supposed_ to be around his neck. Flashing a rather creepy smile, he gestured at the path, annoyed.

"Sorry," I apologized quickly. I continued to hum the familiar melody of Zelda's Lullaby as I went, and Jamu whipped around once more, eyes wide.

He clapped his hands excitedly. "A new song!" he exclaimed. "Teach me!"

 _"_ _Don't, Link,"_ Sheik squirmed.

Heeding Sheik's warning, I stopped humming the tune, hoping the Skull Kids would forget about the song. _"OK, Sheik,"_ I answered. Aloud, I protested at our abrupt stop. "Why'd we stop? What're you waiting for, Jamu?"

Rilus and Ko took my arms at Jamu's command, dragging me behind them as we continued down the winding, twisting dirt path. Thick bushes and underbrush created a woodsier feel, and the tall trees reached up to the heavens, their branches creating a canopy, effectively blocking out the sun. Slivers of sunlight were, however, able to peek through the thick blockade, helping to put me more at ease, although not by a lot.

The Skull Kids had, at least from my knowledge, forgotten about Zelda's Lullaby, thankfully, and we walked through the woods. I had no clue where we were going and had absolutely no knowledge of the Lost Woods whatsoever. Sheik and I were completely at the mercy of the East Woods Skull Kids.

With the cackle of the Skull Kids, my ears were ringing, yet I could pick up a soft melody of – something. Straining a bit, trying to hear, I focused my hearing on that one sound to the left of the path we were currently traversing. I had noticed from the time we had been traveling that the Skull Kids chose to stick to this one path – But what about the sound I kept hearing? Was it all just a mind trick to get me to stray off the path in order to turn me into a Stalfos? Or was there something out there – calling for me…

 _"_ _Do you hear that, Sheik?"_ I questioned quickly. What was that? I could only pick up a little bit of the sound, and I was desperate to hear more.

Sheik paused for a moment, becoming surreally still within my shadow. _"I know; I'm not sure what it is, though."_

"Hey, Jamu," I called to the Skull Kid leader. I was still being dragged by Rilus and Ko, but I _had_ to get Jamu's attention. Wrenching free from the two Skull Kids' grasp, I caught up to Jamu who was gleefully skipping down the path. "Don't you feel like we've been wandering around in circles for a while now?"

Jamu cackled. "Hee hee! We're not lost! We're fine – Jamu knows everything about the Lost Woods!" he boasted.

"Do you hear that, then?" I questioned, raising a brow as I struggled to keep up with the nimble Skull Kid. Note to self – I had to work out with Sheik after this.

Jamu paused, as did the rest of the Skull Kids. "What is that?" he exclaimed excitedly. He bounded off in search of the noise, and I followed him in his pursuit. As we neared closer to the sound's cause, I was able to tell what it was – It was music.

Honing in on his excellent sense of hearing, Sheik became excited; I could feel him quivering slightly. _"That's Saria's Song! She's here – or at least somewhere around here…"_

"Do you know what that song is, Jamu?" I questioned, keeping up with the Skull Kid leader.

Jamu nodded feverishly. "Yes! YES! I _know_ this song!" He became extremely excited, echoing the song on his flute. The song was echoed back once more and became louder each time Jamu played it.

Taking the hint, I raised my Ocarina and joined in.

"We have to find Saria!" Jamu exclaimed.

"We have to find Saria!" the other Skull Kids repeated.

Wasn't that what we were trying to do the whole time?! Sighing, I continued to play the tune – Saria's Song, as I now knew it was called. I saw a blurring golden light – light. I had to get to the light. Regardless of what the Skull Kids were planning on doing, I made my way to the light, not paying any attention to my instincts that all told me to go back – to return. I had to find everyone else, though, and the only way to do that, it seemed, was to find Saria.

Bravely moving forward, I continued on my adventure, the Skull Kids trailing behind. A huge structure came into view, overcome with vines and plants crawling up the sides. Tender tendrils of certain plants snaked their way toward the sky, and I could see light. Light. Glorious light. Being in the dark was kind of getting to me, and I knew that I had to get inside that structure – whatever it was. Moss covered the large stone walls that made up the structure, and the overall building was huge.

Curious, I walked up to it, stepping up to the large entrance. The melody grew louder and louder, and I couldn't resist – I stepped into the hidden sanctuary of the Lost Woods. Blinded by the light, my pupils adjusted to my new environment, allowing less light to enter my eyes. I was awed by the dome-shaped edifice. It was beautiful.

I followed the sounds, figuring that if I had followed the light and music, resulting in me finding this building, I ought to continue to follow the music. The Skull Kids followed a small distance behind me; they had become abnormally quiet – Not that I was complaining. Even Jamu seemed decently subdued, and I was quite relieved.

The Skull Kids watched in both shock and fright as Sheik exited my shadow, sighing and stretching his tense muscles. "Hello, Jamu, Aman, Lazis, Rilus, and Ko," the honorary Sheikah stated, having memorized the Skull Kids' new names.

"You had an adult in your pocket, Mr. Adult?!" Aman exclaimed, horrified. Two adult sightings in one day? This was too much for those poor Skull Kids to handle.

"I was in his shadow," Sheik responded easily. He took out his lyre, plucking out the melody to Sheik's Song.

The Skull Kids all began applauding, enjoying Sheik's performance.

"Hello there, Sheik," a light, airy voice stated. A young girl with green hair and deep blue eyes stood at the top of a staircase nearby. She bounded down quickly and threw her arms around the tall man. In truth, Sheik was only just a tad bit shorter than me. I had more of a sturdy build while his was more slender, allowing more agility; I could definitely see how he had been able to become an honorary Sheikah.

"Hey, Saria," Sheik laughed, picking the little girl up, ruffling her hair affectionately. I had only seen him do that to Zelda once, whereas he did that to Nabila quite frequently during our time with the gang from the Fortress.

Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I was becoming homesick. I had wanted to travel the world and see Hyrule, but now, I found myself longing for the Desert – for the sand. I craved Zelda's company now that we were apart, as well as the companionship of both Nabs and Aziz, my sister and brother-in-law. When was I ever going to see them again?

"How are you? What brings you to my humble home?" the girl asked with child-like simplicity. She was Saria? I had expected someone _way_ older than her. I mean, how old was she? Seven?

"Well – You know how it is – Running from my dad, becoming a fugitive, finishing up my training as a Sheikah," Sheik shrugged.

Saria's smile lit up her entire face as she giggled. "I'm so excited that you're here!"

"Me too, Sar – But unfortunately, we won't be able to stay for long. We need to go to LLR after this," Sheik answered. "I only visited to say a quick hi and to introduce you to someone that will be involved in deciding Hyrule's future."

"Who?" Saria asked. Her blue eyes fell on me and widened. "Him?"

"Yes, Sar," Sheik nodded, setting her back on the floor. He knelt down to be eye-level with her. "This is Link."

"Link," she repeated. "You know my song."

"Sheik taught me," I gestured to the man of shadows.

Saria beamed. "I knew that teaching you would come in handy somehow." She took out an ocarina of her own and played her song.

Sheik joined in on his lyre, and I played on my own Ocarina. Jamu played his flute, and I had sort of forgotten that he was here. The rest of the Skull Kids cheered at the fact that music was being made. They were odd creatures, I had to admit.

After some time, Sheik decided that it was time to go. "Saria, I'm sorry. We have to go. We only came for a short visit, and now we have to find out where everyone else is."

"I get it," Saria nodded, a bit downcast. "I understand – But you will be coming back with Zelda and everyone else soon, right?" she brightened.

Sheik cracked a rare smile. "I promise – Can you tell us how to get back to the Kokiri Forest? I always get lost here."

"Duh! It's called the _Lost_ Woods!" one of the Skull Kids exclaimed.

"Be quiet…" Saria's voice trailed off.

"Rilus!" the Skull Kid filled in.

Saria was incredulous. "You have names?"

"Courtesy of Link," Sheik nodded.

"Anyways – I'll show you; follow me," Saria motioned. "C'mon, Piela." A sparkly ball of light trailed behind her, and I supposed that it was her fairy.

We made our way back to the Kokiri Forest, saying farewell to those mischievous Skull Kids. Arriving at the Kokiri Forest, I heaved a sigh of relief. Back among the normals.

"LINK! SHEIK!" multiple people exclaimed, shrieked, yelled, you name it. Darron locked both of us into a bone-crushing hug, along with Saria. Marine screeched or something like that, and Impa maintained her stern face. Zilla and Kron were practically oblivious to the world around them while Cove tried to keep up with Marine. Everyone was here, and there were Kokiri everywhere around us in our reunion.

"Saria?" a particular Kokiri asked. He had freckles and red hair and was gazing at Saria in wonder. He latched onto her immediately, hugging her fiercely.

Saria wiggled in the embrace to see who it was. "Mido?" she squealed, returning the hug heartily.

It was happy reunions all around, yet I was alone. I turned away from all the festivity and gazed at my new surroundings. There were houses built within the trees, and wooden ladders were the means to reach the abodes. Lanterns hung on jutting tree limbs, and the forest looked way more comforting and welcoming than when we were in the Lost Woods.

Taking out my Ocarina, I began to play the Song of Healing – Hoping – Hurting – And healing.

* * *

 **Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait – Combine me with chocolate, a laptop, and YouTube, you get a nice serving of procrastination. YAY! – not… Sorry… :( But – I'm here now! That oughtta count for something, right? :) Um… I hope you enjoyed this chapter and all that.**

 **Song Obsession: Gusty Gardens Galaxy (soundtrack), Waltz of the Boos (soundtrack), and Song of Storms (Ephixa, Trap Nation, and dj-Jo versions)**

 **Hmm… Is Sheik secretly a Zelinker? I hope he is, otherwise, he'll be having mini-heart-attacks soon enough. xD (I promise, fellow Zelinkers.) But, thanks to anyone that has reviewed, favorited, and followed this piece of work! I love you guys, and you have my gratitude! [I'm still working on re-writing the Volvagia fight scene, and it's taking me FOREVER! I will finish it, though! ;)] Anyways… *smiles* and LOVE!**

 **~Elsie**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **3,803**


	15. Chapter XIV

Squinting my eyes as I gazed around the long table we were sitting, I took in the current situation. The table was prepared for a huge feast – Long cloths in bright colors hung from the table, and a wide variety of foods were placed strategically according to where we were sitting.

For Darron, there was a large selection of various rocks, and for mostly everyone else, there was – food. There were huge platters of both meat and vegetables. Apparently the Kokiri had never heard of different courses because there were also pastries, cakes, and a number of satisfying desserts – Huge, towering cheesecakes dribbling with warm strawberry sauce were sights to behold from the grand table; delicious pies made from different fruits native to the Kokiri Forest were eaten quite quickly; there was also this type of pastry made from soft dough and honey.

Freshly picked fruit, bitter coffee, sweet tea, and more were served once the meal was over. Lights from cook stoves and campfires flickered and burned long into the night, and the sound of merry laughter and chatter could be heard throughout the whole forest. Smiling, I listened to a petty fight between the twins, Aqua and Marine. They were both terribly stubborn and wouldn't submit to anyone _or_ admit defeat. It was a shame that they were so much alike – Or maybe not. I had to admit, their fights were quite entertaining.

Saria and Mido talked amiably across the table, catching up on everything that had gone on since Saria had gone to the Forest Temple. I wasn't sure why she had gone to the Forest Temple in the first place but chose not to ask. The Kokiri were fascinated with Darron, marveling at his body structure and the way he could scarf down tons of rock.

The three true Sheikah (Impa, Kron, and Zilla) were all speaking seriously with completely straight faces. I had learned that both Impa and Kron were very serious while Zilla was the more relaxed and playful of the three. Sheik was speaking with Cove, a forkful of that cheesecake in one hand.

I was once again the only one that felt totally alone. Sitting here with all these friends yet feeling isolated. The mark on my hand glowed comfortingly, and I attempted to smile. "Hey, Link!" one of the Kokiri exclaimed, gesturing to Darron who was currently eating a particularly large rock. "Look at him! He's like a freak of nature or something!"

I cracked a very fake grin and nodded in acknowledgement. "I know, right?" Bringing my homemade mug to my lips, I drank the bitter coffee. A million thoughts were running through my head a mile a minute, and I had had no time to process what had happened in the past few days – or was it weeks? – Or months? I had lost track of time since we had left the Fortress, and now, all I wanted to do was lie in the sand, bask in the sunshine, and be with my family. Scratch that, I didn't want to be with my family if that meant Ganondorf. I could live without seeing him for a while that's for sure.

Sighing to myself, I forced myself to think of happier thoughts. Unfortunately, that didn't help because thinking of happier thoughts caused me to become sadder. Happier thoughts to me were Zelda, Aziz, Nabs, Nabila, sand, the Fortress, Relena, my friends back home, and familiar sights. I wanted to go home – now.

I glanced down at my feet; I had been wearing the same boots for however long we had been gone from the Fortress. Scuffed and worn down, these boots had been all over Hyrule by now – the Fortress and the Gerudo Desert, the Zora Domain, Death Mountain and Goron City, Kakariko Village, and now the Lost Woods and Kokiri Forest. Note to self – Never _ever_ mess with cuccos again.

Standing, I pushed my wooden chair in, leaving the large table and the warmth and joy that surrounded it. The forest seemed welcoming, and I began walking around, seeing as no one had noticed that I was gone. My eyes blurred and kept track of all the shadows dancing in their spotlight. The sunlight had stopped streaming through the trees because the sun had since gone down. It wasn't the day anymore, but it wasn't just quite the night either – It was that mystical time that Sheik had called twilight.

Twilight.

Taking out my Ocarina, I glanced back at where the gathering of Kokiri and the Wanderers was situated. Pressing the holes of the Ocarina, I made out the notes that created the song Sheik had been playing at twilight on the Death Mountain. I had left the Megaton Hammer back at my seat, not feeling up to lugging it over here, especially since I was still within the vicinity of the gathering. I also highly doubted that someone would steal it.

A twinkling sound was heard in the distance, but I knew better than to pursue it. I was totally not going to have a repeat of last time. It persisted in coming nearer and nearer, yet I didn't stop my playing. Whatever it was, I was positive that I would be able to take it on.

A shimmering ball of light flew in my face. "Hello, Link."

I stumbled backwards slightly, taken by surprise.

A fairy?

I supposed that it made sense; the _fairy_ had made the twinkling noise – But what did it want? Against my instincts, I didn't swat it away, instead choosing to watch it curiously as it flew, frenzied. "Well? Aren't you going to say anything back?" the fairy asked impatiently.

"What do you want me to say?" I questioned, brow raised. I then froze. "Wait – How did you know my name?"

The fairy giggled a little like the chiming of bells. "I know you, Link. My name's Rota."

"Um… Hi, Rota. Do you need something?" I asked.

Rota giggled again. "Yes, silly! I'm your fairy!"

I froze once more. "What did you just say?" my blue eyes swiveled to her in record time, and I shifted my feet awkwardly.

"I'm your fairy," Rota responded proudly. She hummed happily, flying in circles around my head. She was an extremely content creature, wasn't she? Wait – She said that she was _my_ fairy – What was that supposed to mean? I had never even seen this little fairy before – This couldn't be.

"You're my what?" I spat out quickly.

Rota laughed once more. "I'm your fairy!" she declared for the second time.

"Um… OK?" my brows furrowed as I began walking away. Twilight had faded into night, and shadows were eerie and subtle. My path was illuminated by the little ball of light that was following me. "What are you doing?" I questioned. She wasn't serious, was she?

 _"_ _I told you that I'm your fairy!"_ Rota exclaimed.

I froze in my tracks. _"Telepathy?"_

 _"_ _Yup – All guardian fairies have a mental link so to speak with their charges,"_ Rota answered. She seemed set on both following me and insisting that she was my fairy. What an interesting turn of events.

Sighing, I continued walking, not acknowledging the fairy trailing behind me.

 _"_ _Link!"_ she shrieked in my head.

 _"_ _What?!"_ I responded, annoyed. I still refused to believe that she was my fairy, though. She wasn't. She couldn't be.

Rota gave an audible shriek as I found myself crashing into a huge tree. My world went black.

* * *

I awoke to the feeling of pain – pain shot throughout my body, and I went stiff as I felt the muscles in my leg contract. Slowly, my eyes opened, and I took in my surroundings groggily. Breathing hurt, and it was a fight to regain my focus. My mind began wandering, and I struggled, trying to sit up in the soft bed I was laying on.

After several miserable failures, I felt a gentle hand touch my back, pushing me upward. I went rigid once more at the feeling of the touch. Zilla. She stood by my bedside, concerned. She held a wet rag in one hand and a glass of water in the other; Kron stood beside her along with Sheik and Saria.

"We couldn't allow the son of fire within these walls," Saria stated, sounding extremely wise and mature for someone her age. But she was a Kokiri, wasn't she? And Kokiri were called the "eternal children" because they never seemed to age externally. That was the only possible reason, unless, of course, she was a child with the maturity of a grown adult. The thing was, though, her words weren't something profound. It was her intonation and the quality of her voice. It simply had an air of maturity about it which I found oddly curious.

I then tried to recall who the son of fire was. "You mean Darron?" I asked.

Saria nodded sagely. "Yes."

Taking notice of the fairy on the bedside table next to me, I groaned. Rota – the fairy that insisted she was mine. "Rota?" I questioned weakly. "What do you want?"

Rota rolled her eyes – at least I think she would have if I could see her expression. "I'm your fairy – What do I keep on telling you? I'm. Your. Fairy. I have no choice _but_ to follow you; do you understand?" the fairy snapped, huffing.

Wincing, I placed a hand on my head, falling back on the bed. Rolling over, my face was smashed into my pillow, and I waved for everyone else to leave. "Go."

 _"_ _Link,"_ Rota threatened. Who was she? My mother? A pain coursed through me at that thought, although it wasn't a physical pain; it was emotional. I didn't know what having a mother was like. Sure I had Nabs, Aziz, and Nabila, but they played more of a sibling role in my life. There was Zelda, and she had the… Zelda role in my life. Sheik was a mentor and a friend; in fact, he had become someone I heavily relied on in the past few weeks(?), months(?). I had completely lost track of time during our time away from the Fortress, and apparently, so had my face. I had grown a beard from my time away from the razor.

Jokes aside, though, I signaled for everyone to leave once more, becoming annoyed. "Go!"

 _"_ _Link!"_ Rota protested once more.

I growled inwardly, hoping she would hear it. I was able to do something like that, and Sheik could hear it from within my shadow; I wondered if Rota and I had the same communication ability – But no. She was _not_ my fairy. _"Be quiet, Rota,"_ I hissed, knowing that she could hear _that_. _"Go,"_ I commanded her. _"You say you're my fairy – If you're really my fairy, you would be listening to what I'm saying."_

Rota made a pained noise, and I knew that I was the only one that could hear. She sounded hurt. I had hurt her. She flew out of the room without protest, disappearing down the ladder leading to the tree house. Through our mental link, I could hear her sobs. At that moment, I felt like a monster.

Although I couldn't see them, I knew that Saria, Sheik, Zilla, and Kron had remained, watching me, scrutinizing my every toss and turn. "Just go," was my pained command. Sheik and Kron left, climbing back down the tree house ladder, yet Saria and Zilla remained put, instead moving closer to my bedside. I sobbed into my pillow, hoping no one could see.

The two girls pulled up chairs near the middle of the bed, and Zilla adjusted my sheets. "Link," she stated softly. "Are you OK? Well, I mean, I know that you're not OK, but I just supposed that you might be upset, not just sick so I wanted –" she began to ramble.

I breathed in hoarsely, cutting her off while not saying a word.

Zilla took my silence as her cue to leave, disappearing down the rickety wooden ladder as well. "Feel better, Link," she said softly.

A painful silence followed afterward, and I drifted to sleep before I knew it, forgetting that Saria was present at all. The mellow melody playing lulled me to bliss; Zelda's Lullaby.

* * *

 _Awaking with a jolt, I sat up. A thick, hazy mist enveloped the area I was in, and I struggled to see. There were trees, tall and majestic, but that was about all I could gather from my surroundings with my limited vision. I wore a green tunic and heavy duty chainmail, different compared to the Goron Tunic I had been wearing for some time since we had left Death Mountain. My boots were polished and no longer dusty, and my breeches were clean as well. A green hat was placed on the top of my head, and a sword and sheath were strapped to my back. I held a bow in one hand, a quiver full of arrows slung over my shoulder._

 _The pain had somehow disappeared, yet my legs felt like jelly. Spotting a mysterious light glowing in the distance, I took a shaky step forward, and my eyes were trained on the elusive light ahead of me. Unused to the new ensemble I was wearing, I felt weighted down slightly by the chainmail. Was chainmail supposed to feel this heavy? I could hear the faint chirping of crickets and the howling of wolves. The howls only added to my unease while the chirping was surprisingly soothing._

 _A harp was playing in the distance. Zelda's Lullaby. Where was I? The Lost Woods? The trees then transformed into swirling columns of sand; holding my free hand over my eyes, I did my best to block out the incredible amounts of sand blowing into my face. The unnerving laughter of Skull Kids echoed within my mind, and I struggled on against the fierce gales of wind and the never-ending piles of sand. I tripped then fell; I could barely hear the lightest of strains of Zelda's Lullaby, and I stood, spurred on by the song._

 _Stumbling, I struggled, trying to make it to the song – my comfort. Dropping my bow and quiver, I broke into a run, becoming accustomed to the weight of the chainmail and the weapons I still possessed. Turning back around for a few seconds, I watched as both the bow and the quiver disappeared into the sandstorm._

 _The golden sand blew in my face relentlessly, and it was both a comfort and an annoyance. It felt like home, yet it became an obstacle, doing anything to prevent me from reaching that harp. Silhouettes were projected from beyond a curtain of sand, and mirages were present, trying to play with my mind. My vision blurred, and I continued to make my way through the ferocious amounts of sand and fierce gales of wind._

 _A huge swirl of sand wrapped itself around me, and I was thrown to the floor violently. The light. I was so close – so close. The music came – closer and closer – as did the light, and I didn't have to move a muscle._

 _"_ _Link," the sweet voice I knew so well stated. The image of Zelda blurred in my sight, and I thought I was hallucinating for a few moments – There had been so many mirages so far that I was wary at this point. She held out her hand, holding her harp precariously with the other. I accepted readily, and she helped me stand once more._

 _She made as though to pull her hand away, but I held onto it firmly. This was the closest I had been to Zelda for a long time. The days had blurred together, just like my vision, and I still didn't know how long we had been apart. Her blue eyes flickered to mine for the longest of moments, and our gazes were locked._

 _"_ _Zelda," my voice broke, and I whispered her name hoarsely._

 _Her eyes dropped to the ground, and she motioned to the ball of light beside her. "Here's my gift to you, Link."_

 _Guilt washed over me as Rota fluttered by Zelda. "Rota?" I questioned uncertainly._

 _Zelda nodded. "She's yours – yours, Link. Your fairy. She'll remind you of me when I'm gone."_

 _"_ _You're going to leave me again?" I asked, hating how broken I sounded. I hadn't even had to fight or kill anything as of yet._

 _Zelda nodded once more, her brows furrowing sorrowfully. "She'll watch over you for me – make sure you won't get into any trouble." She smiled a bit; however, her tones lacked the mirth that matched her words._

 _I swallowed the lump at the back of my throat. "Don't be gone too long."_

 _She set her harp on the ground beside her and held her arms out. I didn't need a second invitation, closing the short gap between us. The floodgates opened, and I wept openly in her arms. "Don't be gone too long," I repeated over and over, cradling her close to me. "Don't be gone too long."_

 _Zelda sobbed as well and didn't even attempt to keep her tears at a minimum. She took off a silver chain and slipped it over my head gently. "I won't, Link," she whispered softly into my ear. "I won't."_

 _"_ _Don't be gone too long," I murmured one last time. The scenery behind us began fading, and I struggled, trying to figure out what was going on. Zelda was no longer in my arms, and my head was spinning._

 _"_ _Link. Link. Link. Link," Zelda's voice repeated over and over. My world went black once more._

* * *

"Link," someone called, shaking me.

Jarred, I was roughly woken from my sleep. Greeted by several worried faces, I assumed that everything was just a dream – That is, until I saw the chain still on my neck. Could it have been real? "What happened?"

Anxious, Saria bit her lip. "I got help as quickly as I could, Link. You were sleeping, and I was playing my ocarina. Then, you began shouting and tossing in your bed. You kept on saying something, but I couldn't tell what it was. I got everyone else as quickly as I could."

My vision blurred, and I fell back on the bed. "Rota," I croaked.

A ball of light flew over hesitantly. "Link?"

"I understand now," I spoke. "I understand."

 _"_ _You do?"_ her voice lifted with both excitement and hope.

Sighing, I nodded. _"Don't you remember?"_ I questioned.

 _"_ _Yes,"_ Rota responded. _"Zelda instructed me to be your fairy. Who am I to disobey my mistress? I will obey her – even if it means keeping you out of trouble."_

Those were roughly Zelda's words in my dream – So it _had_ happened. Everything was hazy, yet I knew things would be alright.

"OK, so, Link – We'll be leaving to LLR as soon as you recover. We can't go now because you're obviously not in the best state – both physically and emotionally," Sheik stated. "So do your best to feel better, OK? When we find my sis again, we want you to be as healthy as possible, you hear?"

Smiling a bit, I nodded slowly. "But what is LLR?"

"Lon Lon Ranch," Impa answered, standing on the platform jutting out just outside the tree house. "We need to get some horses, don't you think?"

"Why?" I raised a brow. Pain spread throughout my body, and I winced.

Darron guffawed while Zilla wiggled her brows, speaking coyly. "Because you need to save your princess, of course."

"And we'll be here to help!" Marine exclaimed.

Sheik sent death glares at everyone else. "Hey! That's my sister you're talking about! That's disgusting!"

"Aw, you love it," Kron punched his shoulder playfully.

Sheik just maintained his stern poker face while everyone else laughed. Rest – That definitely sounded good to me.

* * *

 **GAH! OK, I've been trying to finish this for FOREVER. I mean – How did it take me a whole WEEK to write one chapter?! D: I'm so sorry by the way, guys. I just lacked inspiration for a bit, and my writing lagged a bit…**

 **Anywaaaaaaays… Is Sheik Zelinking? D: That was for you, Flik! ;) And – for my guest reviewers – Thank you so much! I literally forget to thank you EVERY SINGLE TIME, but I remembered this time! YAY!**

 **James Birdsong – Thanks! ; Deku Scrub – xD Cuccos – They were fun, I have to admit. A bit annoying, but they were fun nonetheless. Thanks! I'm glad that everything is coming into play nicely and that you're liking it! Thanks for the review, and I will keep on writing! ; AnriMia24 – I'm back! Thanks! I'm glad Saria has been accepted. ;) I know, right? Link only has the Megaton Hammer – How's he gonna kill Ganondorf with that? Don't worry – Our hero will be pickin' up more weapons throughout his journey… :D**

 **Song Obsession: SMG, OoT, and SS Soundtrack ( & the Pokémon theme song. xD)**

 **Anyways… Thanks to those that have faved/followed this story. You guys are my inspiration. If you feel so inclined, please drop a review down below. I try to reply to every single one, but if I don't, know that I read it and smiled. *smiles* :D and LOVE! 3**

 **~Zelda {Elsie}**

 **Total Word Count (excluding AN's):**

 **3,306**


	16. Chapter XV

**Hey guys! I live! Sorry for the** ** _long_** **wait, but I've had quite an interesting month(?). (Has it really been that long? O_O) First of all, I BROKE MY FINGER! I had ALMOST completed finished this chapter when I broke it (on the day after my birthday) and started wearing my brace, and then there were exams, and I had to have a scribe, and it was TERRIBLE! X(**

 **OK, thanks for reading in advance, and I just want to say that I've decided to condense a lot of the rest of the plot into a few more chapters and an epilogue because I've become really busy lately, plus I've been trying to work on my own original project so this has dropped a lot on my priority list. It may be only half the length I intended it to be, BUT I'M FINISHING THIS! PROMISE!**

* * *

We stayed at the Kokiri Forest for quite some time, giving me plenty of time to recuperate and get to know everyone I would be working with. Things had gotten plain foggy in the time we had left the Fortress to now. I just wanted to sleep forever, never waking up, never having to face my duty as the Hero of Time. I felt like things were dragging – like things should be happening, but they weren't.

Ever since my encounter with Volvagia, I hadn't had to fight any other creature, and I felt myself oddly drawn to the Megaton Hammer, but it just didn't feel _right_. I couldn't bring myself to pick it up, yet I wanted to – It was quite weird.

By the time we had to leave for the LLR, the Kokiri were quite attached to us – especially Darron. Somehow, the Kokiri were fascinated by him – his large build, his huge appetite for rocks, and his rumbly voice – I supposed that they had never seen a Goron before so naturally, they'd be drawn to him out of curiosity. Kokiri clung to his large frame, sad to see him go.

I adjusted the pack I had on my back with all of my rations. Everyone else wore one as well with all of their rations – We didn't really have to worry about Darron, though. As long as there were rocks around, he would be perfectly fine. We bid the Kokiri a fond farewell, beginning our trek away from the forest and to the LLR.

We were a small band, walking in pairs or trios like always, socializing as we went but remaining alert. With Rota fluttering around me, I walked with the Sheikah of our band, Sheik, Zilla, Kron, and Impa. We talked about a variety of topics, carefully avoiding anything to do with Ganondorf or Ren. Even the memory of them stabbed me with venom, and I couldn't wait until the day that I would be rid of the pain they caused me forever.

I noticed that Marine and Aqua walked with Darron, and Cove was strangely isolated from the group, walking farther behind us. It was quite odd, and lately, I had noticed that he had become more distant in general, no longer exchanging pleasantries with anyone in our group. Odd. I decided to try to communicate with him – He hadn't spoken to me in a while.

 _"_ _What are you doing, Link?"_ Rota questioned, buzzing in my ears.

I responded, rolling my eyes at my fairy's apparent concern. _"Gee, Rota. Calm down."_

 _"_ _I'm supposed to keep you out of trouble! That's what the Princess told me to do, remember?"_ Rota was peeved. Why was she screaming in my ear?

Either way, I ignored her, falling back to where Cove was. "Hey," I greeted as Rota flew around my head, her wings beating angrily.

Cove looked up at me. "Hi, Link." I waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

I cleared my throat awkwardly, feeling that it was my responsibility to carry the conversation. We talked, but it felt forced, and I felt as though I was invading his privacy for some reason. Finally, I decided that it would be best if I just left.

Sighing to myself, I swung my hammer every which way; it somehow felt as though it longed for contact with some form of life. Was this supposed to be normal? The heavy moving of air from the hammer didn't give me the same feeling of satisfaction as something else might have. I could hear Sheik mumble to himself, and I could barely catch snatches of what he was saying to piece it together. It was the prophesy.

Words from the prophesy echoed in my head, and I tried to shove them out. "Betrayal." "Chaos." "Heartbreak." "Pain." "Fear." "Destiny's game." My head spun, and all I could do was swing my hammer around as though my mind wasn't yelling things at me. Almost tripping over a log, I maintained my balance, continuing to walk. Rota flew around my head aimlessly, and I could feel it in my bones: things would be ending soon. I knew it was true.

I couldn't defeat Ganondorf with merely a hammer, though. I needed something more… substantial? I would have to ask Sheik about another weapon. Suddenly feeling woozy, I sunk to my knees, the hammer dropping to the floor. Others crowded around me, trying to ask what was wrong. To be honest, I didn't even know myself.

All I knew was I felt tired. I wanted to sleep and never wake up. My eyes found their way upward to meet a large red bird, its wings spread wide and majestic. It was beautiful. I felt something creep its way into my left hand – the hilt of a sword. It was firm and present in my hand, but I couldn't quite grasp whether or not it was real. What was reality to me at this point?

Something finally pulled me out of my daze – a blow to the head from the very generous Darron. "Seriously, Darron?" It was only then that I realized that that was definitely _not_ Darron. In fact, I wasn't even sure what it was. It looked like a walking skeleton. I soon found out that that was _exactly_ what it was.

Eyes widening, I found that the weapon in my hand was no longer my hammer – it really was a sword. I swung it in a high arc; it made a whizzing sound as it sliced through the air. I was testing out the weapon, figuring it out when I first felt the searing pain in my right arm. I didn't need to look down to know what it was – blood.

My breakfast threatened to make a reappearance so I pushed it down, turning to face the skeleton. My heart dropped as I watched the beast, trying to figure out what to do. It let its shield down, raising a huge bone in the air.

I freaked out, sidestepping the attack, not wanting to receive another wound like the one on my arm. I knew that I had to stop the blood flow, but I couldn't do anything while the stupid thing was left alive – but I supposed it was dead already or something like that. The skeleton hissed and lifted the bone to attack again. I quickly blocked it from actually inflicting damage on me, but the blow still threw me off balance.

Its eyes began glowing a weird green color, and I was petrified but attempted to hold my ground as the creature inflicted blow after blow on me. It was at an advantage because it had a shield; I had merely a sword, although it didn't seem like it was a normal sword. Everything felt hazy, and my vision was fogged.

People, fading in and out of my life. Memories, haunting me mercilessly. All the images flooding my mind hurt me, to be honest. Everything was so overwhelming and confusing, all during the heat of battle. I wasn't sure what was real or not real. All I knew was that I was waiting for my turn to strike, one little slip up. That was all I needed.

I was getting tired, but I could tell that the skeleton was slowing down. I had to find a way to attack during that small period of time, but I had to be careful – I would be unguarded during that period of time because I wouldn't be able to use my sword to block an attack. The skeleton raised its bone for the fiftieth time, and I snagged the opportunity while I could. I lashed out with my sword, striking the beast down.

The creature attempted to get up, but I kicked it down again, my sturdy leather boot meeting where its neck would have been had it been an actual Hylian. I then slashed it one last time for good measure, stepping away cautiously – right into the embrace of another waiting skeleton. Where was Rota? Sheik? Everyone else? Had they been real, or had I imagined them?

Had I imagined Zelda?

I moved with my sword; it met the skeleton's neck, and I didn't dare look at the skeleton's glowing green eyes. I shuddered but continued walking, remaining on my guard. Skull Kids' laughter echoed throughout my head, and I screamed. It was all I could do at this point. I stumbled about that labyrinth of darkness, fighting skeletons and trying not to think about the bleeding gash in my arm.

Shivering because of the cold, I forced my body to move completely on autopilot. Block an attack here, kick there, repeat. I fought relentlessly, and a word popped into my head unbidden: Stalfos. These skeleton creatures were Stalfos. I tested the word out and said it with as much venom I could muster in my weary state, "Stalfos."

Finally, I was so tired and fatigued that I couldn't go on any more. I was supposed to be the Hero, right? Well, I wasn't doing too great of a job right then, was I? I collapsed on the ground helplessly, succumbing to the darkness and the blood that was beginning to cover me.

* * *

I awoke to the feeling of pain. Blood covered me, and my sword was by my side. I tried to move but found that I couldn't. This wasn't supposed to be happening – This was my life; I couldn't die now! I had come too far now to fail. I had felt that I was close to the end – I didn't mean it literally!

Something nudged me, and I looked up into the multi-colored eyes of a large crimson bird. He seemed to be trying to communicate something to me, and I could hear his words echo in my mind. Maybe I was just hallucinating, but I knew what telepathy felt and sounded like. "Your mate was taken by a Gerudo?" I questioned.

The bird seemed to nod, and I instantly knew who it was. Ganondorf. "Well, c'mon, boy. Maybe we can both find the loves of our lives." I tried to sit up but found that I couldn't.

Crimson pushed me up to a sitting position against the wall of wherever we were, and I scooted my sword along with me. A Stalfos almost walked in to the little alcove Crimson and I were in but somehow went the other way. "Do you mind if I take a rest?" I questioned.

That was when Crimson went berserk. He used his beak to poke and prod me, and I winced in pain. "My arm?" I questioned, not wanting to look down at it. I did anyways and almost gagged when I saw the bloodstained flesh – it was torn and bleeding, much worse than when I had initially been wounded. "You're right; I can't fall asleep now; I could die from blood loss." I created a tourniquet out of a cotton shirt I had been wearing previously; I knew that I was risking my right arm, but what choice did I have? I could die, or I could lose an arm.

The pain was almost unbearable, and I wanted to sleep just to be able to escape from it. I had to stay awake, though. I had to. Ever since I had left home, I had been in a state of confusion and a whirlwind of emotions. Now, I might finally have the chance to rest. I would have to wait for help to come.

* * *

I wasn't sure how long we stayed, but I presumed it to be not too long; I couldn't take off my tourniquet because the blood wouldn't stop flowing, but at least I was alive; our health was sustained only by game brought in by Crimson periodically throughout the day. I was depending on him for food and protection, weak and pale from lack of sunshine. My Desert tan had faded away during my travels, and I was sorrowful – That had been one of my only reminders of home. I missed it.

"So, Crimson," I began, hissing in pain as my right arm was jarred, "when are we leaving this mess of a cave?" I inhaled deeply, tired. My arm was stained red as was the shirt that made up the tourniquet, and I was sick – mentally, physically, and emotionally. I wanted to see the sun again. I was done with the cave – I couldn't stay there anymore.

Sighing to himself, Crimson helped me stand and climb onto his back. He seemed to point to the left, and I understood. We were leaving.

He carried me on his back as we flew in those cramped quarters. Once we reached the exit, I could finally breathe. I relaxed, shifting on his back and holding my sword confidently in my left hand. The pain in my right arm didn't dissipate, and I knew that I would be losing it soon enough. We flew over areas of land that I could sort of recognize in the hazy mist that was my mind: volcano – that had to be Death Mountain; huge bodies of water – I wasn't sure what they were specifically; an expanse of sand – the Desert.

Surprisingly enough, we landed near a building, comfy and comfortable. There were people waiting to greet us, all wearing similar expressions of shock, disbelief, and joy – horror when they saw my tourniquet. I tried to recall names but found that I couldn't. What was wrong with me?

"Link!" a female Zora exclaimed. She rushed to me but was held back by another female Zora that looked exactly like her.

"Link?" another voice repeated, this time more like a question – a male Sheikah with a cowl wrapped around his face. "Don't you remember us?" He must have noticed my hesitation. "I'm Sheik, Zelda's brother – your friend."

Zelda? She was real? My mind whirred, trying to decipher whether or not this whole situation was real or merely a figment of my imagination. A huge sign above the building or home read "Lon Lon Ranch." The LLR.

I felt myself begin to sway on Crimson's back, and someone immediately took me in their brawny arms. I was carried away, but I wanted to remain with Crimson. He was the only thing I knew for sure was real. Tossing and turning, all I could feel was pain once again. This pain was real – I knew that for sure.

Waking up, I tried to move my right arm – I couldn't. I felt myself go into a panic, trying to rip myself from the bed I was restrained to. My eyes felt wild and rolling, and my vision was for once clear. I wasn't sure what was going on until I felt a pain shoot through my left arm. Then I drifted off into unconsciousness once more. I never wanted to wake up.

* * *

"Zelda's going to be devastated," someone lamented.

"That's an understatement."

"They're both going to be shattered." I recognized that voice – Before I was taken away, there had been a man named Sheik. This was him – unless that wasn't real.

A young sounding female sighed to herself. "I'm so sorry, little brother."

My eyes flew open. "Nabooru?" I could hear my voice and hated how weak and defeated it sounded.

Eyes darting to me, my older sister began sobbing, stuffing her fist into her mouth. "Link?" she whispered softly, as though she were afraid that I wasn't real.

I had no fear, though. I knew that she was real. She was Nabs. And she was here. With me. "Nabs," I tried to sit up but once again found myself confined.

She raced to help me quickly, removing the restraints. Pulling me into her embrace, she began weeping into my shoulder. I tried to bring my arms around to hug her in return but found that I couldn't. My left arm could, but what had been my right arm couldn't. Tears flowed freely from both me and my sister as we clung to each other desperately.

Everyone around the room was weeping, even the stoic Sheik. He was crying – for me. For the loss of my right arm, my right hand. I felt my eyes close and drifted to sleep in the arms of my sister.

The days passed, and I didn't get better. I was in denial. My arm was something I used every day – Now that I lost that, I was as good as dead. I spent my days sobbing and sleeping, eating as minimally as possible.

One day, though, was different. The woman, who owned the LLR, Malon, had a son. He was young, around five or so. He would visit me throughout the day just because and was the only reason I would smile. But one day, he didn't come alone. He brought two other people very dear to me: Aziz and Nabila. My heart broke as they saw me as I was, broken and heartbroken. I was supposed to be the Hero? This broken mess?

Nabila didn't wait for anything; she immediately launched herself into my arms. I held her close, rocking her back and forth with my limited capabilities. Malon's son backed out of the room to his mother while Aziz stood by my bedside, his eyes heartbroken and weary. Everyone understood. My sword lay on the floor next to my bed, ready for my use. What _was_ the use, though?

"Link," Aziz began; his voice was tired and weak. "You need to get out of that bed."

I raised my brow; was he serious? I was injured, unless he didn't realize. "I can't, Aziz."

Burying her head in the crook of my neck, Nabila spoke, "Zelda's been captured, Link. She's being held captive at the Castle, and Sheik wants to get her out. He doesn't want her to be alone with their dad and brother, susceptible to Ganondorf and Ren."

My blue eyes immediately snapped to attention at the sound of Zelda's name. "What?!"

"Link, Sheik won't go attempt a rescue without you," Aziz clarified. He shifted his weight, his arms folded. Nabs stepped in, joining him and wrapping her arms around him.

I briefly forgot the immense pain I felt, losing myself to the bliss of the moment. Family. But, no – this wasn't my family – not my complete family. There were others: Zelda, Sheik, and the Wanderers. All of us. But then I remembered. "But I can't go; I'm completely helpless," I motioned to what had been my right arm.

"Did anyone ever explain what had happened to you?" Nabs questioned, exchanging glances with Aziz.

I shook my head. Things were too hazy at that point, and I could barely remember anything from the time I had spent in the labyrinth, fighting Stalfos.

Aziz sucked in a shaky breath, "You had a gash in your right arm, and the tourniquet you made saved your life but took away your arm; there was too much nerve damage so it had to be amputated. We're so sorry, Link."

This was agony; I was a huge bundle of raging emotions, unable to get a complete grip on reality. "I gotta go. Zelda," was all I could sputter. Swinging my legs over the bed, I tried to stand, but my legs gave out. Nabila trailing behind us with my sword, I stumbled groggily with the help of Nabs and Aziz toward the door.

I suddenly felt better but was afraid of all my relapses so far; hopefully things would be better this time.

Everyone was waiting for me, even though they knew that I wasn't ready. I didn't know that I wasn't ready; I was blinded by my feelings; I supposed that that was what people meant when they said "blind courage". Thankfully, I had recovered most of my health during my bed rest for who knew how long. It seemed that I was having more and more of those lately. I was a sorry excuse for a Hero that was for sure.

"Let's go, guys," I motioned.

No one moved.

I took my sword from Nabila. "What're you guys waiting for? Let's go already!" Everyone else seemed uncertain until my Triforce glowed. I immediately felt more invigorated, and I gestured at the door. "Let's go, everyone." My voice was commanding and firm, and everyone followed behind me.

I probably wasn't strong enough to go on or even stable enough, but the way I saw it was that Ganondorf or Ren or even her family could be hurting Zelda. I wasn't about to let that happen. Also, my Triforce had seemed to have done something to refresh me because I didn't feel as emotionally or physically exhausted as before. I was ready.

Crimson was waiting for me, and I did my best to smile. We were both going to rescue our loves from that villain – even if it killed us, or just me, from the process.

* * *

 **After I finish this story and** ** _Hey_** **, I really want to start a Hunger Games/Zelda crossover; there are only FIVE of them, and prowessMaster44 and I both think that we should change that eventually. xD**

 **This was a very emotional chapter for me, and I kind of wanted it to make it feel as though Link isn't sure what is happening and what's reality – I also know that he's emotionally unstable, and it may seem unrealistic, but I felt that it was time to end his separation from Zelda - for my sanity's sake. :) For the loss of his arm, I was inspired in part by the temporary loss of my own arm and the loss of Peeta's leg in the Hunger Games… (I KNOW! I'M OBSESSED!)**

 **Paulson, I know this chapter is super confusing; it's kinda supposed to be. Link isn't completely sure what happened, and neither is everyone else. The only proof that it was reality is Link's arm - or is it really reality?**

 **It's been awhile so I can barely remember what I was going to write – But thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing. You guys mean a ton to me, and I'm so grateful for all of your support. ;) LOVE! 3 *smiles* :D**

 **~Elsie {Zelda}**

 **Total Word Count:**

 **3,493**


	17. Chapter XVI

**Hey guys – I made it with chapter 16; things are approaching the end because I'm pushing for another one or two chapters and an epilogue. To be honest, I'm trying to wrap things up as quickly as I can without making it seem rushed so I haven't delved into the prophecy and a lot of other story elements I'd been planning on delving into. I'm so sorry! :P**

* * *

Flying on Crimson's back, I had made sure that my sword was properly sheathed. Everyone else had saddled up on their horses, gathering their weapons and supplies. Against Sheik's and my advice, the Zoras and Darron were tagging along. A sickening feeling arose from the pit of my stomach as I watched them walk besides the trotting horses. Darron wouldn't have been able to get on a horse – He was way too massive.

Crimson and I flew on ahead, passing the team on foot by a great deal. Eventually, we could see the Castle in the distance, and I had to squint just to be able to make out the imposing towers and huge structures that made up the edifice. I spotted ranks and ranks of guards on the outside of the gates that surround the Castle and decided that that wasn't a really wise idea; I mean, where were the guards toward the back of the Castle?

Feeling Crimson begin to convulse underneath me, I knew that he could sense his mate nearby. That was when I saw her –

A beautiful, majestic periwinkle blue bird. A huge collar had been placed around her neck, choking her. I was no animal expert, but I could tell that it was hurting her terribly, most likely chaffing her neck. She wasn't about to be chained up without a fight, though. She was scratching and biting and making a number of indignant noises, all while glaring dutifully at her captor –

Ren.

Oh, how long it had been since I'd seen him – at least it felt that way.

Hadn't I traveled all the way across Hyrule? From the Desert to Zora's Domain to Death Mountain to Kakariko Village to Lon Lon Ranch to the Castle of Hyrule. I had matured over time, love and the choices I made shaping and changing me into the Link that I was now.

But what was my archrival doing here at outskirts of the Castle? That's when I saw Relena. She had a look of scorn and contempt on her face, yet she was clutching Ren's arm. Her face had matured over the time that I had left as well, and I could spot the bruises on her arms even from where Crimson and I were, still a good deal away from the Castle.

Crimson continued circling over the Castle, making these whining noises.

Wearing a sadistic smile, Ren raised his whip and brought it down on the poor bird. This wasn't right – seeing a bird this beautiful and majestic in chains, only to be whipped and beaten cruelly – it just wasn't right. With every crack of that whip, I could feel Crimson flinch; he wanted to go down there, but I made sure that he didn't.

 _"_ _What're they doing to that poor bird, Link?"_ Rota questioned, her voice cracking, even in my head. _"How could they do that to her? To see such a noble bird as a Loftwing reduced to such a terrible fate – I can't watch!"_

 _"_ _Ren is cruel – He takes pleasure in the pain of others,"_ I responded bitterly. I could still remember some of the terrible things Ren did to _me_. They replayed over and over in my head until I wanted nothing more than to be able to kill him. I wanted to kill him. Nothing else would satisfy me other than his death – preferably a slow one.

Pausing in surprise at my thoughts, I suddenly slowed my train of thought. I didn't want a person dead, did I? That would be horrible – Was I becoming a monster? Some uncontrollable being with bloodlust running deep in my veins?

Shaking off the thought, I forced myself to focus. We were going to have to figure out a way to infiltrate the Castle so that we could rescue Zelda and Crimson's mate by the time everyone else made it here. I prepared myself for a long wait. "Are you OK, Crimson?" I questioned, stroking the bird's red feathers affectionately.

He seemed to understand me because he made some move of acknowledgement.

Rota was flying around worriedly, wringing her tiny hands. _"Link – What're we gonna do? Should I go scout out the Castle while we wait for everyone else?"_

I silently thanked Zelda for sending me a competent fairy or, at least, one that had a brain in her little head. _"Sure, Rota. Make sure that you're super careful, and if you run into any trouble, come straight back up here, OK? I don't want to have to come and get you."_

 _"_ _Alright, Link. I'll be back eventually, and we can still communicate through our mental link,"_ Rota responded; I could hear her little wings flutter near my ears.

 _"_ _OK,"_ I nodded, _"Be back soon, Rota."_

 _"_ _I will,"_ she answered before flying down to where Ren was still furiously taking out his anger on the poor animal. She was very careful, for which I was grateful.

Seeing my dear friend, Relena, lowered to being on Ren's arm angered me. She looked so defeated, so unlike the Relena I knew before I met Zelda. She used to be so firm and enjoyed teasing me all the time. I hadn't realized how much I had missed her – She reminded me of happier times, times where I hadn't had to be on the run constantly, times where I was with my friends with no danger looming over my head.

I felt bad for Crimson, who'd been flying for quite some time without rest; he just had to hold out until the team arrived. I prayed that he would make it – We were going to rescue his love; I had promised him that. I watched as Ren turned his whip from the bird to Relena.

She didn't flinch, as though she was used to the abuse – and that was when I realized – she was. She was used to being hit and abused by Ren. This wasn't new to her. I had to force a fist in my mouth in order to stifle a scream. No.

I could see that her lips were pressed into a firm, determined line and that her amber eyes were steely and resolute. She was going to endure this. I wanted to scream because I thought of her like a sister. I couldn't watch her go through this.

Finally, after another hour of watching Relena and Crimson's mate be tortured, we watched as Ren spat near the gate to the Castle. The guards looked nearly ready to try to chop off his head with one of their swords. I doubted that they actually knew how to use them. Then I thought about things – Why was Ren even near the Castle in the first place? How did he get here? He was supposed to be out looking for me…

Then I thought more – Zelda was being held captive by her father and brother while Ren was waiting outside near the Castle gates, close but not close enough that the Castle guards had an excuse to try to slice his head off – I could only assume that Ganondorf was nearby as well with another band of the Gerudo.

But why would they be waiting at the Castle – then it clicked… It was so simple! Ganondorf, Ren, and the Gerudo were going to raid the Castle to try to capture Zelda and gain leverage over me. Wasn't that how things always worked for previous Heroes? But I was one step ahead of them – I was going to get Zelda back and infiltrate the Castle before they could.

The only question was – how? Crimson was tiring, this I could tell; Loftwings were always strong birds with a great deal of stamina, but I knew that he shouldn't be flying for this long with no rest. Thankfully, I could see the trotting horses in the distance, making their way to the Castle with Darron and the Zoras trailing behind.

There were so many pieces to this plan, and Rota was still not by my side. I became worried instantly. _"Rota?"_

 _"_ _Yeah?"_

 _"_ _Where are you now?"_ I question, absentmindedly patting Crimson consolingly.

 _"_ _I've made it into the Castle, and I'm trying to find a weak spot in their defenses,"_ Rota replied easily; she didn't sound too concerned at all. _"And, I won't lie – I'm looking for the Princess in this crazy mazelike place."_

 _"_ _You're looking for Zelda?"_ I questioned.

Rota snorted, _"Isn't that what I just said, idiot?"_

Rolling my eyes, I willed Zelda to be OK. I willed Relena to be OK. I willed Crimson's mate to be OK. I willed myself to win – to beat Ganondorf and Ren. Deciding to ignore Rota, I nudged Crimson, telling him to swoop downward to where our team was arriving. Ren had still not noticed us because we hadn't ventured too close to the Castle. We were close but not close enough to be seen.

Crimson firmly planted himself on the ground, and I leaped off easily, walking toward Sheik and his horse. "Rota's searching for Zelda."

Sheik snorted. "I know where my dad would put Zelda. We're going to get her out of there. I don't want my father or brother even laying a hand on her. Come on – we're going to have to sneak past the guards, who are thankfully very predictable. They're all clumped around near the gate most likely. I've always told my father to change that, but he never did, claiming he 'didn't have the time to change anything'. I always knew that was a lie."

"So how are we going to break in?" Marine questioned.

Smirking, Sheik spoke once more. "Follow me." He led us near the rear of the Castle, past the guards near the gates and Ren, who looked ready to pounce on his prey. We had to bring our horses along, and I made sure that Crimson was alright; I didn't want him rushing down Ren, at least not yet. There would be time to pummel Ren later.

Before we made it to where Sheik was heading, I caught sight of Relena once more, and my heart went out to her. She looked so unhappy, and I wanted to rescue her so desperately. But, I knew that if she were here, she would insist that we rescue Zelda first; she was just that selfless.

Darron and Aziz opted to stay with Nabila to watch out for the horses and Crimson; I didn't want Nabila to be here; she was too young, and I didn't want her to get hurt, but she insisted, saying that she was now twelve and could handle herself well. As long as she wasn't in the brawl, I supposed she would be safe enough.

There were multiple bases we would have to cover, such as rescuing Crimson's mate. I turned to him, silently promising him that we would rescue her from Ren's clutches. He seemed to understand, nuzzling my hand softly. Then there was Rota. _"How's it going, Rota?"_ I questioned.

 _"_ _I've searched all through the west wing, and she's not there. I can't find her anywhere. It's completely empty, Link. I haven't bumped into any servants or anyone,"_ she responded back instantly.

Furrowing my brow, I answered. _"OK, well, Sheik has a way to get in so we'll be in pretty soon. You should probably just keep on searching. We need as many people as we can get to find her. She has to be somewhere."_

 _"_ _I'm on it, Link,"_ she replied.

Sheik let out a small chuckle, satisfied about something, as he surveyed the area beyond the gate that surrounded the Castle. "They're all so stupid here – I mean, they basically left the back door open for us."

Curiously, we all watched him, trying to figure out what had him so relieved, but we couldn't see what it was.

"Beyond all that thick foliage is a hidden passageway," Sheik stated easily. "There are numerous ones throughout the Castle, all leading to various chambers. They were built years ago to protect the Princesses of Destiny or all other royalty in case of a siege or coup or something," he clarified while Impa nodded sagely.

"Good thinking, Sheik," she commended.

"I think we should split up and take different ones so that we have more luck in finding my sister. How does two or three per passage sound?" Sheik suggested.

Zilla reached out to take Kron's hand. "We'll go together. I don't want to separate and lose sight of you in the mêlée."

Gesturing to the Zora twins, Cove nodded at them. "We'll take one."

Nabooru and Impa agreed to go together, leaving me with Sheik.

"So that's four passages," Sheik mused. "Alright, you guys will have to follow me and keep a low profile."

We decided that the back of the Castle would be our meeting place, and there was still a great deal of foliage and trees around in the Castle grounds, great for hiding Darron, Aziz, Nabila, Crimson, and the horses. Malon would kill _us_ if her horses were hurt.

Nabila, still the mostly innocent little twelve-year-old girl she was, picked a white blossom from a nearby tree and tucked it in her flaming red hair. She was humming softly to herself, stroking the horses' manes and whispering to them. I caught one of her little phrases: "I can't wait to see my big sister, Zelda, again. She loves Link so much; I hope they're both safe and come back to me. They're my family now."

I could feel my heart clench at those heartfelt words.

"Are you ready, Link?" Sheik asked, jerking his head.

Setting my jaw, I nodded. "I'm ready to rescue my princess."

"Let's go then," Sheik stated, slipping into my shadow.

The other Sheikah merged into others' shadows as well, and those of us remaining (Marine, Aqua, Cove, Nabs, and myself) scaled the gate with hookshots and clawshots; it was actually not that difficult, at least for me. Aqua and Marine seemed to be having a bit of trouble at first, but they finally figured things out. As soon as we were on the other side, all the Sheikah exited our shadows as easily as they had entered in the first place.

Then, we sneaked around to the east side of the Castle with Sheik in the lead. He smirked when he saw the guards fumbling about, trying to figure out whether or not they should attack Ren and the Gerudo he was with. Little did they know, but Ren and his team was providing the perfect distraction for us.

Breathing a silent prayer that Relena would be OK, as well as everyone else I loved, I watched as Sheik motioned for Cove, Aqua, and Marine to step forward. Feeling along the Castle wall, Sheik looked concerned until he happened upon a latch, concealed by vines and plants growing on the Castle wall. A creaky door was opened as quietly as possible, and Sheik motioned for them to step inside. "Good luck, guys," he whispered.

The Zoras just nodded in response before entering, completely sobered.

We went around to the back once more, near where our horses were stationed outside the gates. Sheik repeated the same process before nodding at Nabs and Impa. Nabs caught sight of Aziz just before stepping in and waved her twin scimitars at him, her face completely straight. She then mouthed a few words, "I love you," before stepping into the dark, barely lit passageway.

And just like that, my sister had vanished. Sheik took special care to make sure that the foliage covered the door once more once he had finished before we headed to the west side. There we said farewell to Zilla and Kron, all of us knowing that some of us could very well be dead by the end of this.

With that terrifying thought, Sheik and I finally crept to the front of the Castle grounds where a passage was hidden by the front entrance. Those guards still hadn't spotted us, and neither had Ren or his Gerudo. Apparently, luck was on our side because we were able to slip into the passage undetected.

 _"_ _Rota,"_ I said. _"We're in."_

 _"_ _Good,"_ she responded. _"I still can't find the Princess! Everyone else is missing!"_

 _"_ _We'll be there soon,"_ I promised.

I felt cramped, and it smelled terribly in here. There was only a little light, provided by one torch located near the beginning of the passage; Sheik took it from its sconce, and it provided light – a little bit of it, at least. I could barely see a yard ahead of me. There were inscriptions and drawings on the wall, and I found them fascinating. This was no time to spare, though, and we hurried through the corridor as quickly as we could while remaining as silent as possible.

Finally, we emerged from a crude hole in the wall into a chamber that looked all girly with comfortable cushions, pink wallpaper, and frilly lace drapes over the windows. The hole in the wall was covered by a tapestry that Sheik had pulled off the wall in order for us to escape that passage.

Making our way to the door, Sheik pulled out a few throwing knives while I readied my sword. My Triforce was glowing dully; I supposed that it could sense that Zelda was nearby but didn't dwell on the thought. I felt a surge of energy and knew that I had to be prepared for anything, including meeting Zelda's father and brother. I wasn't sure if I would be able to control myself around them, wanting to take a swing at them.

 _"_ _Rota – Where are you?"_ I questioned uncertainly. _"We're in."_

 _"_ _I'm searching the north corridors, but I can't open doors! They're too heavy!"_ she exclaimed.

I sighed. _"OK, Sheik and I are toward the front of the Castle – is that the north part of the Castle or the south part?"_

 _"_ _That's the north part. Alright, that's good. We'll probably bump into each other somewhere,"_ she responded.

Sheik pushed the door open tentatively, as though daring someone to come and find us. Following behind him, I made sure to keep out for any flying ball of light near the ceiling. Fancy portraits and tapestries adorned the walls, depicting various periods of history and different monarchs, including the great Hero of Time himself with his Princess of Destiny. It was incredible how similar my Zelda and the Zelda in the painting looked.

 _"_ _Link!"_ Rota shrieked.

Sighing in relief, I found my fairy as she dive-bombed my head, hiding in my messy blonde hair. _"Good to see that you're alive, Rota."_

 _"_ _Ditto,"_ was all she said before clamping up. We had to focus.

Where could she be?

"Darn," Sheik whispered before merging with my shadow. There were guards just around the corner. Preparing myself for a fight, I held my sword firmly.

 _"_ _Cucco,"_ I pretended that I could see Sheik so that I could glare at him.

I could feel him shake his head, _"No."_

 _"_ _Then get out of there and fight with me,"_ I responded.

Sighing, Sheik refused to speak. I gritted my teeth in annoyance as the guards approached from down the hall. They hadn't spotted me yet, but they would soon, and there was nowhere to hide. Why did Sheik have to go into my shadow? Why? Weren't we supposed to preserve our strength? Wouldn't it be easier to do so if we were fighting as a team?

The guards spotted me, and I groaned deeply. They stepped forward, and one guard raised his spear threateningly, probably thinking that I couldn't use my sword properly. As if. Our weapons met with a clang, and I could feel that he was strong – terribly so, almost to the point where I felt myself struggling.

Planting my feet firmly into the ground, I braced myself, knowing that he wasn't someone I would be able to beat easily. I would have to tire him out – But how would I do that with two other enemies and my back exposed? I tried to twist my sword in a disarming trick I learned from Ganondorf himself, but the brute refused to budge with his broad shoulders and heavy weight. He was sneering at me, as though my attempt was like that of a child against a man.

Sparks were flying from the metal, and I could feel myself weakening. I couldn't afford to lose any more strength so I pulled back suddenly; the guard was caught _off-guard_ , and he fell forward, due to the amount of pressure he was applying. He stumbled but caught himself quickly, and I gritted my teeth. I used the opportunity to make a sweeping arc with my sword, bringing it down on his arm. I could feel his agony, almost as though it was my own. I knew what it was like to lose an arm and instantly felt guilty. But there was no time for guilt because he was soon roaring in pain.

Using my only arm was getting tiring, but I had to persevere. The first guard raised his spear once more, and that was when I noticed something. He tried to step forward, applying all of his pressure, but couldn't. I then glanced down at his shadow. It looked as though it had wrapped itself around his legs tightly, like the coils of a snake.

 _"_ _Sheik?"_ I questioned.

Sheik just chuckled, _"Just trust me – Believe me, this is best. I'm helping you more here than out there."_

That was when I realized that all the other guards were stagnant as well, as though paralyzed, made captive by their own shadows. The guard swung around blindly, and I took the opportunity to meet his spear. "Now we're even," I stated. "You can't move, and I don't have my right arm."

He glared at me before snarling. It proved to be a challenge in navigating around his spear point which seemed to be constantly twirling near my face. Although he couldn't take steps forward or backward, he could still twist his body to face different directions. Our weapons clashed once more, and his partners tried to reach him to help him out but to no avail. Their feet were firmly rooted to the ground.

Finally, the guard got in a good hit; I felt a stinging pain and lifted my hand to feel a slice in my cheek – it didn't feel too deep, but I knew that there was blood. Hissing in pain, I let my sword pierce the air, coming in contact with his stomach. It was a clean hit, and I saw where the blood was beginning to flow; I had mostly likely damaged an internal organ. The guard's face was turning pale, and he sunk to his knees in defeat, groaning in agony.

My mind fogged momentarily, and I allowed myself to feel sympathy for the man. He was another man, just like me – or maybe not like me, Prince of the Gerudo; not like me, the Hero of Time – but he was a man. He was a man that had a family. He might have had a girl of his own, maybe a few kids. He didn't deserve to die.

 _"_ _Link!"_ both Rota and Sheik's voices flooded my mind quickly. I snapped back to attention as the other two guards were fighting Sheik's hold on their shadows.

Ignoring the pain that radiated from my cheek, I allowed my sword to meet the second's; I found that I couldn't overpower him because I had less power than him without my right arm. Choosing to focus on finding his weak points, I circled around him carefully, keeping track of every opening I found that he had left unguarded. He kept making swipes at me with his sharp sword, and I could tell that he was more competent with his weapon than the first guard who relied completely on brute strength. I would have to outsmart him.

He made a strike at my legs, and I found myself jumping to avoid the blow, landing on my feet seconds later. Caught off-guard from his attack and attempt to lunge forward, the man tried to recover quickly, but I had already made my move, slicing at his dominant arm. He tried to hold on to the weapon but found that he couldn't with his injury. It was too deep, and his blood was seeping through his uniform easily; he gagged and fainted, obviously unused to the sight of blood.

I turned to the third guard who was trembling where she stood. I supposed that they had all underestimated me because I had only one arm. How wrong they were. I decided that there was only one thing that I could do in this situation. _"Sheik, are there any rooms that are completely and totally secure? – like without windows or hidden passages?"_ I questioned.

 _"_ _I get where you're going, Link – Two doors down the hall to the left,"_ Sheik said calmly, slipping out of my shadow.

"Now you decide to come out," I rolled my eyes at Sheik, shaking my head, annoyed.

Sheik gets straight to business, apprehending the shaking third guard. She had looked so lethal before, but faced with me and Sheik with her partners severely injured, she knew that she didn't stand a chance. He dragged the woman to the second door down the hall to the left and bound and gagged her. Next, he and I took the two injured guards and made sure that they were resting on beds in that room. They too were bound and gagged, unable to speak or move.

Locking the door behind us, Sheik brought a finger to his lips before merging with my shadow again. I couldn't help but roll my eyes in annoyance once more. Was he trying to get me killed? _"Keep on going, Link. Can you feel her Triforce? You're the one with the closest connection to Zelda right now,"_ he stated.

 _"_ _Hadn't you said that you knew where your dad and brother would keep her?"_ I questioned dryly, rolling my eyes. I had become really comfortable with Sheik recently; he was my best friend other than Zelda, and he'd become my confidant. I could tell him anything, and the same went for him. We trusted each other, loved each other like brothers, and definitely weren't afraid of teasing each other.

 _"_ _Well… I mean, yeah, I said that, but that doesn't mean I actually know where she is. I'm just about as clueless as you are,"_ Sheik responded.

Nevertheless, I hadn't thought of that before. I tried to focus all of my energy on my Triforce; eventually, I could feel something, and my hand began glowing brightly. My eyes flew open, and I knew that I had to go forward. Then, the hall we were in split into two different corridors. Choosing the left one, I continued down the hall and went down a flight of stairs, peering into the first room I saw.

* * *

 **My schedule hasn't lightened up even a bit, and the end of school is in, like, two more months. I'm not gonna make it! DX No, I will, but I won't be updating anything over the summer either because I'll be away on a lot of trips then, hence why I'm at least trying to finish this story. BTW, this is the longest chapter I've written for this story (I think :P). "Hey" has chapters twice as long as the chapters for this story.**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed; thanks to those who've subscribed, favorited, read, and reviewed! You're the best! So… Please favorite and follow, and, if you feel so inclined, please do drop a review down below. It makes my day. ^^ LOVE! And *smiles* :D**

 **~Elsie {Zelda}**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **4,504**


	18. Chapter XVII

**SURPRISE! :D Here's a little something that I cooked up and finished about two weeks ago and forgot to post… Wow, I'm terrible. xD**

* * *

Nothing.

It was just one door and one room, but my spirits were promptly crushed. Maybe we weren't going to find Zelda. I knew better than to hope vainly that love would prevail – yet, didn't it always prevail for me and Zelda?

 _"_ _Try another,"_ Sheik commanded, tugging at my consciousness.

Obeying silently, I walked through the corridor, praying that I wouldn't meet up with any more guards. Something about this whole ordeal made me feel uneasy, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong. However, I chose to press onward, refusing to let myself give up. I wasn't going to compromise the lives of everyone else just because I was discouraged.

Door after door, I was rewarded with nothing – no Zelda. Still, I kept on, Rota fluttering around my head. Why was my Triforce leading me on? It was telling me Zelda was near, yet she wasn't in any of the rooms I checked. Was it lying to me? It wasn't supposed to do that.

Finally, I heard movement in the room to my left, _"Do I go for it, Sheik?"_

 _"_ _Yeah, check. That's the music room; Zelda always spent a lot of time in there,"_ Sheik stated, squirming around in my shadow anxiously, worried about his beloved sister.

Tentatively, I pushed the door open, uncertain and fearful.

It was a mistake.

I just made the biggest mistake of my life.

My father – Ganondorf.

He hadn't noticed me yet; his back was turned to me, but he could sense me, just like I could sense him. My Triforce was glowing like crazy, and it wasn't a good thing; it was a burning pain, and I felt as though I wanted to retch. My fear escalated, and the tension in the air was so thick it could have been cut with a knife.

Yet I forced the fear and bile at the back of my throat back down, remaining as calm as I possibly could. This was the man that I had called my father for twenty one years; I couldn't just forget that while facing him. Now, I wanted the Master Sword, the one mentioned in the legends read to us as children. That was the only way I would be able to defeat him, right?

"Welcome, Link," he stated, "son," he added sardonically, and shivers traveled down my spine. How long ago was it that he had said that word lovingly? It felt like ages ago, and it was.

"Ganondorf," I responded coldly.

He laughed bitterly, "What – No 'father'?"

"My father's dead," I said, my hand clenching even tighter around the hilt of my sword. "You've become someone else, Ganondorf. You're no longer my father, and you never were in the first place." My voice rang throughout the room boldly, and I couldn't believe myself.

Ganondorf shook his head ruefully, banging his fist on a piano. I could feel Sheik boiling with rage from within my shadow. "So, what're you going to do, Hero?" Ganondorf questioned mockingly. I hated the way he said 'Hero'.

I took no time in looking around the lavish room but locked eyes with Ganondorf as soon as he turned around to face me. "I'm going to go find Zelda; then I'll finish you. You won't break me," I stated flatly. "You _won't_ break me."

"Ah, yes – You lost your arm," Ganondorf shook his head 'sadly'. "I must say that I've never heard of the Hero having only one arm. How do you expect to beat me with only one arm, Link? You won't be able to. I don't even have to break you – You're already broken as it is. Good luck in trying to beat me because you won't be able to. It will be impossible. I'll let you go for now, but the next time I see you, I won't hesitate to kill you."

"I told you my father's dead," I responded simply.

For a split second, I caught a flicker of something beyond the bitterness, anger, and hatred harbored in Ganondorf's amber eyes. Then, as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, and I questioned whether or not I had really seen it.

Ganondorf lifted his hand and waved me away, his gaze hardening once more, "Go – NOW."

Not bothering to watch my back, I just left as quickly as I could; I had to get to Zelda. I had to find her. And the next time I met Ganondorf, I would plunge a sword through his back.

My footsteps were no longer disguised, and I didn't bother to go softly. I didn't care anymore; if Ganondorf knew I was there, then everyone else in the castle probably did. But where were the king, Arvid, and Katrin? How could they have just allowed Ganondorf to take over their castle? Were they really overthrown?

Questions ran through my head rapidly, and I immediately felt slightly woozy and overwhelmed.

 _"_ _He was certainly frightening,"_ Rota commented, her shiver visible as she flew around my head. _"That was really your father, Link?"_ Where were my real parents? I knew they were still alive from the last person I asked – Zelda. She said my parents were still alive; they had to be. I didn't want to be alone.

Sheik was certainly worried for his sister, though not as scared, _"We have to find the Master Sword. That's the only way we'll be able to get rid of Ganondorf for good. Zelda is the only one that knows its location so we need to find her."_

Everything was so intermingled that it was so complicated. It was like a giant puzzle that we had to crack with all the pieces missing yet connected in an intricate fashion; I even confused myself when thinking about it. _"This sword won't even dent Ganondorf with the Triforce I'm guessing, right?"_

Sheik nodded, _"That would hardly do any damage. The Master Sword is the only true weapon that will do any damage at all, let alone defeat that monster."_

I remembered what my Triforce felt like when it was reacting to Ganondorf's Triforce. It was more of a stinging sensation rather than the calming one I felt when I sensed Zelda. Furrowing my brows in concentration, I jogged through the halls, trying to force the stinging to the back of my consciousness. I needed to focus on the warm, calm feeling I was receiving.

I passed a room, but it didn't seem any different than any of the other rooms – But there was warmth coming from it that wasn't coming from any of the other rooms. That had to be her. I tried to open the door, but there was a barricade of some sorts blocking any exit or entry. I tried to apply my weight to it, but to no avail.

Slipping out of my shadow, Sheik stepped up next to me and attempted to help me. It was difficult; whoever had built the barricade was well-knowledgeable in creating them or something because it took both me and Sheik pressing our backs to the door to finally break through.

There by the window, poised and ready for attack, was Zelda. "Din's Fire," she said, a ball of magic releasing with the flick of her wrist. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was, "Link? Sheik? Is it really you two? Or is it just another trick from Ganondorf? I can't believe my own eyes anymore."

"It's us, little sister," Sheik responded, his red eyes flashing with worry. "What have they done to you?" he questioned quickly, rushing over to her and looking her over.

I stepped closer with Rota flying behind me after I had shut the door and redid the barricade. It wouldn't do to have any unwanted guests around right now. "Zelda?" my voice cracked, sounding of unshed tears.

"Link?" she whispered after releasing Sheik from her embrace. "It's you?" she asked once more in soft tones.

Nodding, I responded, taking one step closer, "Yeah – Yeah, it's me, Zelda. Are you alright?" Then, tears broke past the rims of my eyes, beginning to roll down my cheeks.

We approached each other cautiously, unsure and uncertain. We met in the middle with Sheik and Rota watching us carefully. For the last three seconds, Zelda broke into a bright smile, rushing into my waiting embrace. I wrapped my arm around her, stroking her beautiful blonde hair and rocking us back and forth, "Zelda," I whispered, crying silently.

I could die happy right then.

"Link – What happened to you?" Zelda questioned, noticing the absence of my other arm; she looked horrified.

"I'm sorry, Zelda," is all I could say. I hoped that that would be enough, but I just couldn't talk about it. It hurt too much, and the pain was too fresh. Would Zelda continue to love me, or was I too broken, like Ganondorf said?

Zelda responded by burying her face in my chest, sobbing like a little girl, "Oh, Link," she cried, wrapping her arms around me tightly, "I'll never let you go."

"Never?" I questioned, feeling warmth wash over me like a tidal wave.

"Never," she repeated as a new wave of sobs passed over her. We just stood there together, knowing that this might be the last time we would see each other, knowing that Ganondorf was out there after our Triforces, knowing that Ren was out for my blood, knowing that we could _die_. That was in the prophecy, wasn't it? Death and betrayal?

That was when I noticed the many bruises and scars covering her arms – new ones, ones that I had never seen before. "Zelda?" I questioned, touching her skin softly, worried about hurting her. "What happened?"

Breathing in with difficulty, she replied, "At first it was just my father and Arvid – But now Ganondorf is here. He came here a couple of times but remained hidden from everyone except me; even Father doesn't know he's here; I don't think even Ren does."

At this point, Sheik stepped in, taking control of his little sister, cradling her close to him and gazing into her crystal blue eyes worriedly. "Did they touch you?" he questioned frantically, trying to keep his voice steady. "I swear, if they even touched a hair on your head…" his threat hung midair, and he gulped.

"I'm fine, Sheik," she responded, hiding her face in his chest. "I'm fine – now that you and Link are here. I can defend myself."

Sheik shudders, "But I should have been here for you – to protect you. That's what you and I do, right? We protect each other. You're my sister forever, and you come first – your safety comes first. I'll kill Ren with my bare hands if I have to."

"Not if I get to him first," I say, my eyes glazing over at the thought of having Ren at my mercy. He'd be the one in pain; he'd be the one having to endure hurt and hardship. He would know how it felt to be tortured. I would rescue Relena and Crimson's mate. I would make sure that Nabila, Nabs, and Aziz were safe. Aqua, Marine, and Cove would be able to return to the Zora Domain to be with their families. Darron could go home, be with his sworn brothers, and eat all the rocks he wanted.

Rota would be able to live in peace without having to deal with someone like me. The Kokiri would be safe and secure in their forest. The Sheikah in Kakariko Village wouldn't have to worry any longer about Ganondorf. There wouldn't be any more animosity between the Sheikah and the Gerudo. Impa and Nabooru were living proof that there didn't _have_ to be any fighting between the two races. They got along just fine – most of the time. It was nearly impossible to be completely at peace with Nabs; she loved arguing with people too much; sometimes, I suspected that she picked fights with me on purpose when we were younger.

"Zelda," Sheik began, his tone darkening and becoming more serious, "We need to find the Master Sword, and you're the only one in all of Hyrule that knows where it is." He kicked idly at the floor, scuffing at a fluffy pillow, but Zelda didn't seem to mind.

"How do I know that you're real?" Zelda questioned, her eyes snapping to attention, darting back and forth nervously between me and Sheik. "How do I know that you both aren't magic beings Ganondorf created in order to coerce the secret from me? How do I know that you are real?" she questioned again, turning away from the two of us.

"Mistress?" Rota finally asked, tired of remaining quiet. "He's Link, and that's your brother, Sheik."

Whipping around, Zelda's eyes found Rota, "Rota?" she whispered. "But how can you all prove to me that you're real? I want to believe you, but I don't know if I can – not without proof."

"My song," Sheik whispered, unearthing his lyre from his magic pouch. His eyes locked with mine, seeming to communicate with me, and I found the Ocarina of Time. His feet tap a slow tempo, one that I was unused to when it came to Sheik's Song. It was always lively and cheerful, but this time, it seemed to be almost mournful or reflective – promising.

His fingers found their places at various strings, plucking them carefully and creating beautiful notes; my fingers pressed on the carved holes of my instrument, my notes serving as a harmony for Sheik's main melody. Without even thinking about it, Sheik and I transitioned into Zelda's Lullaby, and Zelda seemed more at ease immediately. Rota flitted around us serenely, seemingly at ease.

Sighing, Zelda nodded at us, "You're real. I know you all are. OK, I'll show you, but we have to be careful – very careful. Ganondorf has been haunting these halls like a ghost, and I don't want to bump into him now – not without the Master Sword. He'd cleave us all in half." Her hand slipped into mine, linking us together.

"So, Sheik, are you going to be a cucco and stay in my shadow, or are you going to stay and fight?" I smirked at him. I felt a pain shoot up through my right arm and cringed – until I realized that my right arm was gone. Phantom pain. Gritting my teeth, I questioned why this had to happen now – Couldn't it have waited until I got back home? I paused. Home where? Where was my home? Did I even have one?

I had been so focused on trying to make sure that everyone else had a better future that I had forgotten about my own – What would happen to me after this whole mess?

"I'm fine with staying in your shadow, thank you," Sheik rolled his eyes playfully. "It makes more sense, you know. There'll be less people so we won't draw as much attention to ourselves." He then slipped into my shadow easily once more.

Walking toward the bed in the room, Zelda stood on top of it and felt around the ceiling; I was surprised that she could even reach the ceiling, although it was rather low. Apparently, she found what she was looking for because a part of the ceiling swung downward. She then reached her hand into the compartment, pulling out a necklace with three pendants: blue, red, and green.

She then slipped it over her neck, looking slightly worried while remaining in a defensive stance. "Let's go."

I held my sword out before me, opening the door carefully and peering outside cautiously. Zelda glided across the room to stand behind me, and we peeked our heads around the door. Rota stuck very close to Zelda, and I presumed that it was because she missed her mistress, was annoyed with me, or both. We slipped out of the room, Zelda making sure that it was locked and secured, if only to assure us a little extra time if someone broke in and realized we were gone – any advantage that was available to us we had to take.

The hall was silent, and I swallowed briefly. I had Zelda; we could just make a break for it now, but what good would that be for everyone else in Hyrule depending on me? That would be no good – no good at all; that would be selfish, me putting my own desires above everyone else's. I had to find the Master Sword to defeat Ganondorf.

No one dared speak, and even Sheik limited our telepathic communication so that I could focus completely on the task at hand. Zelda acted as a guide, seeing as she knew the Castle better than anyone in our group besides Sheik. We went through back stairwells and hidden passages, eventually ending up in a wine cellar.

"Zelda?" I finally whispered questioningly.

Glancing at me slightly, she merely placed a finger on her lips, telling me to remain quiet. We made our way around barrels and crates filling the room, and I almost tripped a few times, having to regain my footing. Once, I knocked over a barrel but managed to make sure that it didn't actually fall. It was like a maze, and we had to weave around all the obstacles in our way. It wasn't a terribly large cellar, but it was big enough that it took us around fifteen minutes to just navigate it to a wall... It was slightly anticlimactic, if you asked me.

Zelda pressed her hand to it, her right one, and waited for something. Something shimmered, her hand I realized, and she stepped up to it; that panel of the wall slid upwards, and she motioned for us to follow her. The "door" led to, surprise-surprise, another secret passage.

"This time, the Pedestal of Time has a rather unusual hiding place, unlike its normal resting place in a forest or the Temple of Time. It's actually here in the Castle – The Bane of Evil is within these walls, right under Ganondorf's nose, but he doesn't know it," Zelda stated seriously with slight hint of amusement at Ganondorf's ignorance.

"And we're going to retrieve it," I added in, and she nodded.

The hall was short and barely lit at all, a dim light being cast from one lone torch in the middle of the passage. Thankfully, I wasn't claustrophobic; otherwise, I would have fainted because there was hardly any room. Within a minute, we reached the end of the hall which had broken off into several other routes; each route blocked off by a door. Zelda pressed her hand to yet another door, the one at the very right end.

This process was repeated multiple times, and I realized that this had a certain pattern to it that only Zelda knew. Her brows were furrowed in concentration, and she looked rather jittery. I laid a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped in fear, her eyes darting to me; she then visibly relaxed when she saw it was me, and I could only wonder what had happened to her during the time we were separated.

After some time, I was growing frustrated. How long were we just going to wander through halls with no other exit except another door and another passage? That was when Zelda slipped her necklace over her head, casting me a quick glance. Then, she pressed those precious gems to several grooves in the stones that made up the walls beside the door. A glowing light bathed the corridor, and a deep rumbling sound was heard as the door lifted upward, allowing us entry.

Zelda went in first, and I followed her, Rota flying around excitedly. "This is it!" my fairy exclaimed. "We finally made it, Link!"

Her words echoed through my head, and I repeated them: _We made it – we finally made it._ Wordlessly, I linked hands with Zelda, and we entered together. Sheik exited my shadow and stood behind us, knowing that we had to do this, just the two of us. Rota stayed behind with him, and they watched us silently.

Gulping, I let go of Zelda's hand to remove the sword from the sheath on my back and let the weapon clatter to the floor; the sheath remained on my back. My hand found hers again regardless, and we approached the Pedestal of Time together. It was elevated on a dais, the Master Sword's hilt just beckoning for me to come and remove it from its home of so many years.

Zelda allowed our hands to drop halfway there, and she stayed. I looked back at her questioningly, and her eyes seemed to tell me that this was something I had to do on my own. I had to do this; I was the Hero, and this was my responsibility. She was here to support me through this, but I had to do this on my own.

With every step I took, a change took place. I didn't realize it until I heard Zelda and Rota gasp. Glancing down, I saw that my apparel had simply _changed_. No longer was I wearing the clothes of a Gerudo prince or a lonely, wandering traveler. Now, I wore a green tunic and dark brown breeches; leather boots clad my feet, and my eyes traveled back to see that the only thing that had stayed the same was my sheath.

My arm.

My breath hitched at the back of my throat, and I allowed myself to look but not daring to hope. Reflexively, I closed my left hand experimentally, and _my right hand_ closed along with it…

A choked sob echoed through the room and continued until I realized that it was me. Clenching and unclenching my right and left hands, I dropped to my knees, holding back the tears. Everything – the new clothing, the sheath, my body – felt perfect in that moment, and I wanted to hold on to it for as long as possible, just in case it disappeared like a vapor.

Then, I remembered – I had to retrieve the Master Sword. With this thought in mind, I didn't bother getting up but crawled to where the sword was embedded in the pedestal. I was sure that I was a sight – so broken, exposed, and vulnerable. Those waiting behind me were seeing a side of me that I never wanted to face, and it made me feel slightly uncomfortable; I forced myself to remember that they loved me. They were parts of my family. They wouldn't judge me; we were all broken in our own ways.

That was what helped to bind us together.

As I neared the pedestal, I forced myself to stand to my feet, still shaky. With my left hand, I gripped the hilt of the sword and, using barely any strength, was able to pull the sword from the pedestal. It was calling to me, singing to me; it showed me how the other weapons I had used, the hammer and the other sword lying abandoned on the cool stone ground, paled in comparison to its beauty. It was made for me.

Experimentally, I drew an arc in the air with my sword, and it seemed to glow in response to being used once more. For a moment, it felt as though something – or someone – was measuring me, seeing if I was worthy of wielding this beautiful sword. Then, as quickly as I had that feeling, it faded away.

 _"_ _Yes, you are my master,"_ a voice stated in my head. I was hallucinating, I believed.

Shaking my head desperately in order to clear it, I threw a few jabs at an imaginary enemy, testing the sword and getting a feel of how it worked and its balance. It was perfect.

 _"_ _There is a 97% chance that you are the Hero of Time; I can sense it,"_ the monotone voice spoke to me again. _"You are the Hero, and you are my master. I can feel it, sense it, from deep within me."_

Ignoring the voice once more, I took firm steps toward Zelda, Sheik, and Rota, all waiting for me. Without a second thought, Zelda threw her arms around me, crying joyful, thankful tears. "You're alright – the magic of this place must have healed you and made you whole once more," she exclaimed.

Releasing her gently, I nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. I don't suppose Ganondorf can feel that we have the Master Sword now, can he?"

Sheik breathed in, his brows furrowed in concentration. With the exception of his piercing red eyes and his narrowed brows, I couldn't tell what his expression was because I couldn't see his face. "He can't as of yet, but he will. I can travel through the shadows if you want me to find out or distract him."

"I really have no plan," I responded frankly, returning my sword to my sheath. Somehow, that messed up time warp where I met Crimson had to have given me my sheath for a reason. Like the Master Sword was finally where it belonged. Maybe I had taken the sheath from another Hero. Maybe – just maybe. Everything about what had happened was pure speculation on my part. I wasn't even sure of what happened myself, and neither was anyone else.

Zelda fingered the stones of her necklace, "We need to get out of here. It's not safe here anymore."

Rota was anxious, and I could sense it in her consciousness. Somehow, it felt as though another sense had been awakened from deep within me as soon as I pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal.

"How do we get out of here, Zelda?" Sheik questioned. It was plain to see that even Sheik was unfamiliar with this place.

"We're not getting out the same way; it's too risky," Zelda responded. "Come on," she began walking toward the other end of the room, passing the pedestal in the middle. "Are you all coming or not?"

Sheik entered my shadow, and lost energy seemed to return to my being. _"I'm lending you some of my life force,"_ he stated in response to my unsaid question. _"You need to be as strong as possible if you're going to face Ganondorf and Ren."_

This was becoming tiring – all this walking through secret passages and corridors to escape Ganondorf and his plans; I could feel myself exhausting, but I also felt invigorated – refreshed and ready for anything. Everything in me was contradicting and canceling each other out, and I felt a clash of feelings overcome me. I was tired yet not tired at all.

 _"_ _Thanks, Sheik,"_ I responded, beginning to follow Zelda and taking one last look at the room we were in. Tapestries and murals decorated the walls, similar to the décor of the rest of the Castle. Yet these – these were different somehow. Determination and strength could be seen in the Heroes of old, and all those legends of Hylian lore came to life before my very eyes. I could see the desperation of Ganondorf, the anxiety of Zelda, the fear in Link. That desperation drove Ganondorf mad for power; that anxiety caused Zelda to reach deep within her to find her wisdom; and that fear in Link gave him something to overcome, a reason to fight, something to ignite the courage deep within him.

 _"_ _Courage isn't the absence of fear; it is merely the act of overcoming it,"_ Sheik stated in my head.

Training my eyes straight ahead, I knew what I had to do. Adjusting my tunic and clenching my free hand, my _right_ one, I allowed my jaw to set. I was going to find Ganondorf once more, and this time, he would be at my mercy. He should have killed me when he could have. Now, he was going to have to deal with the Hero of Time; I was no longer the boy he raised in the Desert. Now, I was the Hero of Time, and the lines were blurring, almost to the point where I couldn't tell the difference between the ocean and the desert.

* * *

 **Um… so, I kinda had decided very firmly that I was going to maybe take an indefinite hiatus from writing and reading fanfiction, but I just couldn't stay away! I mean, Lindsey Stirling is about to release her newest album,** ** _Brave Enough_** **, and I mean, music ALWAYS gives me inspiration. Then,** ** _Breath of the Wild_** **was announced and TOOK MY BREATH AWAY…**

 **So, anyways, I had this chapter finished (two weeks ago) and edited it tonight. I kinda just had a mini-surgery this morning. I'm OK, though; to be honest, the anesthesia injection hurt more than the actual surgery, and the surgery only lasted five minutes. xD Either way, I was terrified, psyching myself out and all that. :P**

 **Thanks to you amazing people that have stuck with me! 3 you guys are fantastic. Thanks to all my faithful followers, favoriters, reviewers, etc. You all make my day! 3 3 3 Hugs to AnriMia24, Flik98, HeroofTime73, and Night Rider 7 because you all are amazing… And don't think that Link and Zel are gonna have an easy time now that they're reunited – oh no. I mean, he still hasn't met HIS PARENTS YET… Hint hint… OK, I'm done – Good night! And of course, *smiles* :D**

 **~Elsie {Zel}**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **4,693**


	19. Chapter XVIII

Sneaking through passages and creeping past guards, Zelda and I finally arrived at the front of the Castle. I was so paranoid, killing anything I saw on sight. Zelda seemed slightly perturbed by this, but I couldn't care less at that point. I was seeing red, and Ganondorf and Ren would pay. I had rescued Zelda, and I would rescue Relena.

My new chain mail was quite light, yet I still found moving to be more difficult compared to my lightweight Gerudo clothes. I supposed I just had to get used to them. In time, I was sure that they would become like a second skin. We had yet to run into Nabs, Impa, or any of the others, and I was worried for them. If Ganondorf knew that I was here, then wouldn't he know that the others were here as well? Now was not the time for questions.

At this point, I wasn't even completely in control of my mind. All I could think of was how I would end Ganondorf and Ren. We made it to where the throne room was, and no one was there, oddly enough – no one, not even Zelda and Sheik's father, the king. We all found that to be very weird, especially Zelda and Sheik. They stated that their father rarely left his throne – for anything.

A sound was heard from behind me, and I whipped around instantly. My heart sunk as soon as I saw a Gerudo wielding two twin scimitars. Her brows were drawn, and she glared at me, "Fancy meeting you here, 'Prince' Link, huh? You're just a traitor." Without another word, she charged at me. Other Gerudo followed her, and I could only assume they were a part of her team.

I quickly blocked an attack with my sword, gripping it with both hands tightly. Zelda was quickly on the alert; her hands were pressed together, working on some magic spell. Sheik continued to lend me some of his strength before slipping out of my shadow, on the defensive with an endless supply of Deku nuts, grenades, and needles.

Rota spoke, _"Link – There's one behind you!"_

I whipped around, sword meeting scimitar. Blades locked, our eyes met, fighting a battle of their own, and I realized that I knew her – I wasn't sure what her name was, but I knew her and remembered seeing her around when I was back home. What felt like ages ago, I would have most likely felt sorry for her – But not now. I was fighting this battle to win not lose. I was in this to win and do nothing else.

Sparks flew, and she moved her blade away quickly; I stumbled forward slightly because of all the force I had been applying but recovered speedily, taking another swipe at her. I couldn't run out of stamina now; I had to save all my energy for my battle with Ganondorf. Unable to stare into her amber eyes anymore, I brought the tip of my sword to her throat, cutting off her life. She made a choking, gurgling sound, and her eyes widened with shock.

Stabbing guilt pierced me, but I brushed it off, moving on to the next Gerudo. From my peripheral vision, I could see Zelda using her magic to manipulate a Gerudo's limbs. Sheik was using his various weapons to kill as well; Rota was nowhere to be seen. I found myself killing without thought, callous, cold, and distant. I really didn't care about these people. They didn't care about me or Zelda when Ganondorf and Ren were hurting us. They hated us enough to pursue us to the Castle.

We had to make our way to the main door – our exit out of the throne room and into the Castle courtyard – our ticket to freedom. But it looked too big; how were we going to open it? The Gerudo I was currently fighting kept looking up somewhere, again and again. I focused on trying to to end her then looked up to where she had been looking before I ended her.

I spotted several Sheikah eyes near the top; it was a long shot, but I supposed that it was worth a try. Sheathing my sword and switching to the bow on my back, I took aim and released a flurry of arrows in rapid succession. Zelda seemed to catch onto what I was doing and defended my back with her magic.

Somehow, I couldn't do it; something was stopping me from accomplishing my goal, and I began panicking slightly. Noticing my fear, Zelda snatched the bow from my hands and took my quiver from my back. "Cover me!" she yelled above the din.

Nodding in response, I unsheathed my sword, throwing myself into the battle easily with two Gerudo females fighting tooth and claw. They seemed set on stopping us from escaping, paying careful attention to the door. Those eyes had to be the key.

Taking aim, Zelda hit one of the eyes easily, but there was another Gerudo blocking her next line of fire. "Link, I can't get a direct shot!" Her hands were trembling, and her voice shook. "I've shot two so far."

There were three Sheikah eyes so there was only one more to go. She just needed to shoot one more. She pulled the bowstring back and released her arrow, but it missed. I heard her exhale sharply as her brow furrowed even more. Checking her quiver, I could see that she only had five more arrows left. She had to make this count.

Reloading, she adjusted her stance and shot at the last Sheikah eye. Nothing happened. There was a slight glow, but things remained the same, and the door didn't open. The Gerudo eyed us smugly as we fought, knowing they had the upper hand until we could open that door.

"Zel – Everything's timed!" Sheik shouted to her from across the throne room. He was dealing with two Gerudo wielding long sabers. "You have to move quickly!"

Panicking, Zelda reloaded her bow and shot her arrows, reloading faster than I'd ever thought possible. I couldn't watch her and defend her simultaneously so I was forced to tear my eyes away from her. There were too many Gerudo. They were ganging up on the three of us, Sheik and I having to take the brunt of the work with Zelda trying to solve the puzzle.

Before my very eyes, people were slain and killed by my very sword; the bile rose in my throat, but I quickly forced it back down while blood was spilled by my hands. I couldn't see my Zelda or the outcome of her endeavor. My fear caused me to become sloppy, and my blows weren't as well-timed as before. One of the Gerudo got in a lucky swipe, and my bloody cheek proved my failure. That blow was my wake up call, and my strength was renewed.

"Link!" Zelda exclaimed. Her quiver was empty, and the door still hadn't opened. Her eyes were scared, and she had no weapon to defend herself, with the exception of her magic. I didn't want her to drain her power, though. I could foresee a large battle rapidly approaching so she needed to conserve her strength.

Slashing through the Gerudo to get to Zelda, I tried to think up a way to escape this prison. The throne room was two floors high, and my answer came in the form of an arrow whizzing past me slightly, embedding itself in the arm of a Gerudo next to me who had inadvertently acted as a shield for me. Her weapon fell to the floor, and she seethed, grinding her teeth together in frustration and anger.

An arrow – My eyes immediately flew up to where an archeress was loading another. Zelda caught my eye quickly, and I knew she was thinking exactly what I was thinking. Using Din's Fire, Zelda was able to blaze a trail for us to run through, all the way up to where that archer was firing her arrows upon a ledge above the throne. Giving Zelda a quick nod, I found my clawshot in my belt and was able to haul myself two stories up.

The archeress, however, was prepared for me and my attack. She had already drawn a sword in order to try to defeat me and knock me down. Her quiver wasn't located on her person, her bow lying to the side, abandoned. I had to somehow get that quiver to where Zelda was; brain running a million miles an hour, I drew my sword, momentarily sheathed for my trip up.

"You're a traitor," she hissed at me. I wondered briefly who she was; did I know her personally? Either way, she had launched an arrow at me and drawn a sword on me; there was no chance of mercy for her now.

Raising a brow, I spoke, "Oh, am I? Well, I sure hope that I can do that title justice."

Without another word uttered, our swords met in the center. The ledge was small, and I was already feeling worried that I would fall to my death twenty feet. Because of our tight space, my chances of knocking that quiver down were high – my chances of dying were also high.

Not hesitating even a bit, I lashed out, knowing that I was more of a skilled swordsman than she. She was obviously more skilled at her archery, but it wasn't helping her here.

 _"_ _Just go ahead and take your sweet time, Link,"_ Rota grumbled sarcastically via our telepathic link. A light was flying around our feet, from behind my adversary. She was tugging at the quiver, heavy in comparison to her weight.

Thankfully, the Gerudo hadn't caught on just yet to what I was trying to accomplish. She merely growled and snarled at me, not even bothering to actually speak to me. It was fine by me, though; the moment I humanized her was the moment I felt sorry for her, and I didn't have time for that now. I had to get Zelda out of here. We rotated positions, and now I was standing near Rota and the quiver. Shooting a foot out behind me, I kicked at the quiver blindly.

 _"_ _LINK!"_ Rota squealed in my mind, protesting. The quiver fell, and I hoped the arrows wouldn't scatter too much on the ground.

The Gerudo's eyes then widened as she realized her blunder; then she not only recovered – she retaliated. Her sword clanged into mine, and she somehow found a way to begin pushing me toward the edge. I tried to stop her; I tried to regain my balance, but she persisted and ended up shoving me off.

I was falling.

Time seemed to slow as a flash of light engulfed me. Then, I could see Zelda below me, her eyes wide as she retrieved her arrows, quiver on her back and bow in hand. I could see Sheik not too far from there as well; he disappeared, leaving his opponents. I could sense him nearby as he entered my shadow right then. Rota flew worriedly around Zelda.

My left hand glowed brightly. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, safe and sound. My heart was pounding in my ears, and I felt like retching. Everyone stood staring at me, no doubt wondering why I was still alive. My Triforce never stopped glowing warmly.

Zelda recovered first – and quickly. Those three arrows sailed through the air, whistling cheerily as they made their marks on those three Sheikah eyes. The huge doors opened slowly, revealing the Castle courtyard to us. With Sheik in my shadow, I raced ahead to where Zelda was, grabbing her hand and running straight for freedom.

Stuck in a trance after my ethereal experience, the Gerudo pursued us after a moment's hesitation, giving us just the right amount of time we needed to escape. Once in the courtyard, Zelda whipped her head around, making sure I was right behind her.

 _"_ _I'll go let the gang know that we've got Zelda, but we're headed for trouble,"_ Rota zoomed away as quickly as her tiny wings would let her.

Sheik slipped out of my shadow. "Should I follow her?"

I had only a few seconds to nod before we were forced to continue running from the Castle out into Hyrule Field. The Gerudo were set on destroying me, the traitor, and Zelda, the accomplice. My boots pounded into the dirt, and even though I wore a new outfit with more pieces to it, I felt light-footed while fleeing. I supposed I had gotten used to it.

In the distance, I could see several small dots on the horizon but chose to think nothing of it. As the dots grew closer and closer, however, a sickening feeling flooded my stomach.

In front of me were Ren and his band of women; behind me were Ganondorf and the Gerudo from the Castle. Ren held Relena by the arm, dragging her, and had hold of Crimson's mate. Ganondorf, on the other hand, had captured who could only be the king, Katrin, and Arvid, Zelda's relations. They were far too finely dressed to be anything but royalty, even though they looked disheveled and hurt. Instead of crying out in despair at the sight of her family, Zelda cast Ganondorf an icy, stony glare, not even bothering to look at her poor excuse of relatives.

The purple Loftwing squawked noisily, and I felt my spirits sink. I had failed Crimson. I hadn't rescued his mate. Sheik was quivering within my magical core, and even I could feel his burning anger. It began affecting me as well, and my rage grew tenfold.

Things were tense in those few moments as I tried to gather my wits; I threw Zelda behind me, facing Ganondorf and choosing the less of two evils. I'd rather face Ganondorf who was much more powerful than Ren, in my opinion. _"Sorry, Sheik, but I think we're going to need some help,"_ I stated quickly.

Without protest, Sheik made his way from my life core to my shadow and then out. Taking Zelda's arm, he made his way to his family, scoffing at them. He made sure his weapon was in place as he went, and time seemed to freeze because no one was willing to make the first move.

Apparently what Sheik was doing was considered the first move because after that everyone began attacking. Ren refused to let the Loftwing out of his sight, falling to the back of his group of Gerudo and never relinquishing his hold on Relena. I had lost Sheik and Zelda in the fray and could only hope they were alright. Right now, I had to free the Loftwing and Relena.

Drawing my sword, I made my way to Ren. He would pay. So would Ganondorf.

 _Yes, Ganondorf, you should have killed me when you could've._

* * *

 **I MADE IT WITH ANOTHER CHAPTER! Phew – I didn't think I'd be able to finish it because this week I'm volunteering at my church's kid camp so I'm gone from 9AM to 5PM; then, I'm going out of state for a week on vacation so I kinda won't have access to technology. But, this is your chapter. ;) (IT'S SO SHORT)**

 *****BECAUSE I'M RUSHING, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE MISTAKES!*****

 _ **"Why didn't Ganondorf kill Link?"...**_ **Well, I kinda used this a) to get Link outta there, and b) to show how he let his Triforce corrupt him and that he still has this human side. It's like a battle between his two selves. I'm sure we all know which side is more powerful. :P**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed this; Lindsey Stirling's third album is going to be released in a month so I'm full of inspiration. ^^ (AND MY OTHER FAVORITE ARTIST, LECRAE, IS FEATURED ON IT! \O/) I've tried to respond to everyone's reviews (THOSE WITH AN ACCOUNT)… Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following; you guys are amazing! 3 LOVE! And *smiles* :D**

 **~Elsie {Zelda}**

 **Total Word Count (excluding Author's Notes):**

 **2,500**


	20. Chapter XIX

**I really need to finish this up, lawl. I started this chapter in SEPTEMBER. It's high time this is posted. (It's been on Wattpad for a while now)**

 **So, enjoy, everyone! - you guys are awesome! You all make my day even better with all your reviews! :D LOVE! 3**

 **~Elsie**

 **(I hated this chapter... -.-)**

I had to force my way through the ranks of Gerudo to get to my rival turned nemesis. He watched me, clutching Relena's arm sadistically. Her arm was beginning to bruise, and I could see it – even from a distance. Several Gerudo were surrounding the Loftwing, and I figured that I could take them out easily. I stood a better chance of rescuing the Loftwing than Relena at this point, yet I felt if I did the Loftwing first, I'd be choosing her over Relena. Yet I couldn't let Crimson down. I was conflicted but forced myself to make up my mind quickly.

While heading for the Loftwing, several other Gerudo fighters intercepted me. I was able to take them out easily, and I ran straight for the Loftwing. The Gerudo guarding her were exceptional fighters. I didn't exit the fight unscathed; bruises covered my face, and a red, angry cut oozed blood on my right cheek. Yet the Gerudo lay dead at my feet anyways.

I untied the Loftwing, and she seemed to understand that I was helping her because she allowed me to touch her. She was badly hurt, and I had to get her back to her mate. I fought those that dared oppose me and gently smoothed her feathers soothingly. Crimson flew to us, and his mate nuzzled him carefully.

"Alright, friend," I sighed at their reunion. "You should take care of your mate."

His mate was barely able to fly, and her wing looked broken. She winced in pain but managed to get into the air. Crimson gave me a slight nod in acknowledgment.

I nodded back, fending off anyone that was trying to stop their escape. "If you ever need me, you know where to find me." Enviously watching them take off together, I fully immersed myself back into battle, welcoming all thoughts of finally finishing this once and for all.

Ren had sneaked off with Relena while I was releasing Crimson's mate, and a growl rose in the back of my throat. Forcing my way through the fray with my blade in hand, I killed anyone who opposed me on my way to my arch rival – my enemy.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Nabooru and Impa fighting back to back. I was looking for Relena. I needed to get her out of here; then, I had to fight Ganondorf. Trying to find her in the large swarm of people, I caught Zelda's eye. She looked horrified, her mouth agape and her eyes filled with terror. Her line of vision wasn't trained on me, however, but what was happening in front of her.

I whipped around to see what she was watching and felt bile rise up in the back of my throat. Ganondorf had her father in a chokehold, and he was slowly killing the Hyrulean king, depriving him of the oxygen needed for survival. A knife was pressed to Zelda's throat, and she was clearly panicking. Sheik was standing in the background, smoldering silently; I could feel his anger and rage. He felt helpless at that very moment because, for some reason, he was unable to slip into a shadow and was restricted by two Gerudo warriors.

Trying to spot the rest of Zelda's family, I could only see her father and Sheik, not Arvid and Katrin. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of something terrible – something I was not expecting nor wanting to see. The Castle was ablaze.

Both Zelda and Sheik were growing desperate. They strained against their captors as Ganondorf became what I can only consider to be a monster – he was literally draining the king of his life, slowly, painfully. Even I could feel the pain the king radiated, and it shocked me. I was physically in pain myself; catching sight of Zelda doubling over, I could tell she could feel it as well.

Stumbling forward, I made my way to where my "father" stood. He eyed me steadily, his voice stone cold, "I never should have given you mercy."

"Yes, you shouldn't have," I agreed, boldly meeting his blazing amber eyes. "You should have killed me when you had the chance because, now, I'm going to kill _you_."

Every second, Ganondorf tightened his grip around the king's neck, despite the cries and protests of Zelda and Sheik. With absolutely no sympathy in his hard eyes, Ganondorf finally snapped the king's neck while staring me down.

As soon as that happened, Zelda dropped to her knees, a magic shield flying up around her so no Gerudo could lay another hand on her. Sheik hissed and was able to slip into Zelda's shadow now that the Gerudo were distracted and whatever was holding him back was no longer affecting him. It was like there had been some dark magic that had been holding us in place, helpless.

A cry of anguish slipped from Zelda's pale lips as she broke in that moment.

That cry cued everything that was to occur next; I snapped into action, catching sight of Ren. I had to attempt to get rid of him first before I could deal with Ganondorf. Forcing my feet to move, I strode toward Ren, who stood in place, waiting to confront me. Keeping my eyes locked on him, I commanded him to let go of Relena, "Leave her be."

Ren's lips twisted into a nasty sneer, "Make me."

"I will." Stepping boldly forward, I felt my hand clutch my sword tighter, and the Triforce mark on my left hand began glowing brightly, burning and giving me comfort simultaneously. Waves of pain traveled through me; Zelda and I were sharing our agony.

Relena's face had become ashen, losing its typical bronze color, and her normally alert amber eyes looked as though they were glazed over. Tiny cuts covered her face and arms, and a large, angry, red scar ran along her cheek. She tried pulling away from Ren, yet she was too weak. There was nothing she could do with her limited strength.

Rolling his eyes, Ren responded cockily, "I'd like to see you try."

As the Master Sword glinted in the sunlight and clashed down on Ren's saber, I knew right then that I didn't care if I died in that moment – all I had to do was save Zelda and Relena. They were more important to me than life itself. So, when the blood began gushing from the wounds on my body even more, I paid them no heed and met Ren in battle.

Zelda's heart-wrenching cries shook the area, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Ganondorf attempt to bring a sword down on her. He was foolish – her shield would be nothing against him. His try didn't hurt her, but it did bring her back to reality. She stood quickly and shakily to her feet, readying her shield once more. This time, it was just a shimmering mass around her because she was exhausted – she didn't have enough energy; she wouldn't be able to sustain it.

I was torn – I had to deal with Ren and Ganondorf? Of course, I did – but at the same time? There was no way I'd be able to protect both Relena and Zelda. I needed help.

 _"Sheik – you gotta either take Ren on or distract Ganondorf,"_ I told him. _"I'd prefer the second one, to be honest, because I have a score to settle with Ren and I'd love to not deal with Ganondorf at this particular moment, but..."_

 _"Say no more, Link,"_ Sheik responded simply, traveling through the shadows to Ren. Then, he slipped out of the shadows to confront one of my worst enemies.

I muttered under my breath as I attempted to run to Zelda, _"Zel, I'm coming for you now."_

 _"Link – I can't..."_ Zelda wasn't able to finish her sentence. She was slumped over, still holding up her force-field, her entire body quivering while she was on her knees.

From deep within me, I summoned... something. All I knew was that I had to save her; one moment I was a decent ways away from her and Ganondorf, and the next I was right beside her and in front of Ganondorf.

It took me only a second to jump to my feet, blocking Ganondorf from laying another downward strike on Zelda's shuddering form. She was sobbing, the tears streaming down her face; her shield was about to fall, I could tell.

I knew Ganondorf wouldn't give me time to try to talk to her so I communicated to her through our mental link. _"Zel – you gotta snap out of it, please! There'll be time for sorrow later, but right now, we have to save ourselves – our friends."_

Zelda merely responded by shedding more tears.

"All my love for you is now gone," Ganondorf stated matter-of-factly, his voice cold and icy, literally sending shivers down my spine.

Although I tried reassuring myself that I didn't care... the truth was... I did care – I cared a lot. It felt as though someone had taken my heart and was wringing it out like a dishrag. Because of this, I also felt ashamed of my feelings. I was stupid for even thinking that he ever loved me. He may have loved me before, but he didn't love me anymore. Like he said, all his love for me was gone, destroyed, and ruined.

I shook my head slightly, clearing my head, "I know," was all I could force myself to say. My blade was still locked with Ganondorf's so I waited for an opportunity – for anything.

But... I knew that I was weary – I had already been through hell and back just to try to have a chance at rescuing Zelda, but now that I was here? I was tired, exhausted, and ready to give up. Ganondorf _had_ the upper hand at this point. It was hopeless for me to even try to soldier on. I had to give up. I had to get Zelda out of here and give up. I'd literally die rescuing Zelda... But even so, I would be happy just dying with Zelda. We could give up together, and it wouldn't be really giving up. We'd just be handing the torch over to the next Link and Zelda.

So, I simply knelt down besides Zelda, bringing my blade up to counter Ganondorf's attack one last time. Zelda's arms snaked their way around my waist as though she knew what I was about to do. It was as though time froze – one moment we were all moving, and the next moment, we weren't.

I heard shouting but closed my ears to them so I could focus on ending this horror. My hands clutched the hilt of the Master Sword as Ganondorf struck his blade down, trying to knock the two of us backward. His movements were calculated and precise, nicking my cheek and drawing some blood, but he was tired too.

"What are we, Ganondorf? Children?" I mocked, masking my exhaustion.

He was like a child – prodding me with a sword instead of a stick. He merely continued his penetrating glare, this time directing it toward Zelda.

Her shield had long since been dropped, but she muttered a few words under her breath; as she did so, Ganondorf's sword began quivering in his hands.

The King of Thieves stared at her for one moment before responding by muttering some words of his own, his sword responding to those words as well. Although my blade was locked once more with Ganondorf's, his eyes were locked with Zelda's.

My mind was swirling with different thoughts, about what it would be like to die, about what would happened if I were to die, about what would happen if Zelda and I were to win. And that was when I gently placed an arm around Zelda's waist, still holding my sword and pulling her up so that we were both standing.

She never broke eye contact with Ganondorf, looking bold in that moment.

The man who was once my beloved father spoke in his gravelly tones, and these words, too, cut straight to my heart, "I lust for your blood, Hero of Time."

Zelda gasped softly, although it was no surprise to either of us. She placed a hand on my bicep, twisting her body so she was slightly behind me. It shocked me that Ganondorf hadn't made a formal move to destroy me, and I supposed that maybe, deep down, he loved me... just a little... or maybe he was allowing a bit of humanity to shine through. For that, I hoped.

I couldn't tell when he would strike, though, and I knew he was getting impatient – the hungry look in his eyes told me that much. There would not be much time left before he struck either me or Zelda; I had to get Zelda away from him.

" _No, Link – We're a team – we stick together,"_ Zelda's voice echoed in my head.

I kept my frustration from seeping into my mental conversation with Zelda, _"Zelda – please. I need you to be safe. We can't allow your Triforce piece to be taken from you as well."_

Zelda began backing away, her bow and quiver slung over her shoulder, _"Link – if something happens to you, then my Triforce piece is as good as gone too – Be careful... Please?"_

 _"Promise,"_ I said absently, no longer thinking about Zelda but completely zoning in on what I'd have to do in order to defeat Ganondorf. "Ganondorf." Even I was surprised at the hard tone at which I had addressed my former father. But it didn't matter to me. I didn't love him anymore, and I didn't know if I ever had. And the truth was, I wanted to defeat him – did that mean that I was evil? Was I as much of a monster as he was?

"Link," Ganondorf responded. "And yet again, I let the good in me get the best of me," he snarled. "I should have ended you and your Princess long ago, yet something always held me back – but no more. I shall end you and your line today, once and for –"

I cut him off by swinging my sword at his unprotected abdomen.

Unfortunately, he anticipated my movement and was able to block without even glancing in my direction or pausing in his speech, "– all. You _chose_ that Princess over me. You _chose_ her. I was never intending to have to kill you, Link – You were supposed to be heir to my throne, and instead... _You chose her_." His tones got deathly silent, scaring me just a bit. "And because you chose her, you _also_ chose death."

Startled by his words, I was caught off-guard when he took a swipe at my feet so I stumbled backward clumsily, my eyes never leaving his. "Why are you doing this, Ganondorf?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer, but I needed to buy us some time.

"I crave power," Ganondorf responded, "and my Triforce piece isn't enough. I'm a greedy man, Link, and I will end you today – no more inner rebukes from my conscience. I am now one with my complete intent to kill you. But whom should I kill first?" he pondered sadistically, slashing downward at me.

I blocked it, barely, completely remaining on the defense – I had to regain my strength.

"Should I kill the Princess in front of your very eyes? Should I relish in the feeling of watching you break because of her death?" the King of Thieves questioned. I no longer knew the man standing before me, raising his blade against his adopted son, the boy he raised for years.

Shuddering at the thought of Zelda dying with nothing I could do to stop it, I suddenly struck at him, bringing my blade to connect to with Ganondorf's arm, slicing into his unprotected flesh... Yet my attack did nothing, not even drawing blood.

"You'll never be able to defeat me, Link," the man before me said. "I'm too strong – this time won't be like the times of old. I will defeat you, and you will never be able to stop me."

I swayed on my feet, suddenly losing the burst of energy I had gained. Groaning to myself, I struggled to counter all of the Gerudo's attacks, but I couldn't do it. I was too weak, and my left arm wasn't as strong as it used to be. "I will stop you, Ganondorf. That's how things always work – you know that. Trying to change the cycle is like trying to stop the sun from rising in the morning and setting at night."

He just laughed cruelly, as though I'd said something foolish. "Listen, boy. I've prepared for this moment for ages... You won't take this away from me."

Strangled cries and the clanging of swords reached my ear, yet I couldn't tear my eyes away from Ganondorf – "I'm not a boy – and I _will_ defeat you." That would be the last thing I said to the scum. With a new resolution – to avenge everyone that was hurting now – I brought my sword up to the beast's exposed chest.

I was sweaty, bloody, and bruised, yet I knew that I had more energy to give from deep within me and that it would have to be enough. The sword tore through the skin of his chest, and he gave an angry roar, filled with agony and pain. I dragged it down, immune to the grotesque sight. It had to be done. That was what I had to force myself to believe because I felt like a monster in that moment.

No pity could be found in me in that moment, and I plunged my sword deeper into his chest, finally dropping to my knees as his body fell, void of any life.

It was over.

Ganondorf was dead.

Yet I felt empty.

And just because Ganondorf was now dead did not mean that the fighting stopped. I heard a piercing cry in the distance and saw Marine drop to her knees, slumped over a body.

This was a nightmare, and, pulling my sword out of the beast's body, I immediately began running to my friend, forcing my broken body to move. "Marine!" my hoarse voice yelled.

"Aqua!" Marine screamed to the sky, holding the body of her dead twin sister.

And then I saw Cove – although he wasn't comforting Marine like I thought he would be. He was standing above them, a bloodied sword in his hands, poised and ready.

"No..." I whispered.

 **Total Word Count:**

 **3,109**


	21. Chapter XX

**... And I can't even believe this... O_O ... It's over... X_X THIS IS LITERALLY THE LAST CHAPTER OF THIS BOOK WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE EPILOGUE! :OOOO OH MY GOSH, I FEEL SO PROUD, haha! XD**

 **... *still can't believe it's almost over* This has been up on Wattpad for a while now, but I finally looked back over here and saw I got some new comments so thank you! :) 3 from the bottom of my heart.**

 **But, yeah! It's been about a year and a month since I started writing this, and I hope you guys enjoy this last chapter. X(**

 **Please vote and comment because I'm a tired person, haha. X_X**

 **~Zel**

Running toward Cove and Marine, I watched in horror as Marine stood above the body of her dead sister, lifting a sword high. "You killed my sister," she whispered. "You never loved me..."

Ren laughed as he defended himself against Sheik, "You all never knew that there was a traitor in your midst, did you? Well, I'm the best, obviously – Of course I would think of something like this to catch you all off guard."

Marine disregarded Ren and walked shakily toward her betraying love. "You killed my sister..."

The betrayer, Cove, was robbed of his speech, and he just watched as Marine approached him, coming closer and closer.

Her eyes never moved from Cove's, "You joined Ganondorf – You deceived us. And now your blood will pay the price of your betrayal. I hope it was worth it."

Cove's eyes, moved to mine, and his mouth began moving, forming silent words.

I didn't look at him, however – I couldn't. He murdered my friend. He took her life like it was nothing, and he deserved to die for conspiring with Ganondorf and Ren. My feet were forced to move, and I headed toward Ren and Sheik.

Sheik saw me coming so he slipped into my shadow. He manipulated the shadows so that Ren was forced to let go of Relena. She stumbled forward, and I caught her. Nabooru appeared at my right and supported Rey so that they could get away from Ren.

"You think you two are so slick, don't you?" Ren questioned, sneering.

I shrugged, wiping a bit of blood from my brow, "I suppose so. And, Ren, you can take the title of prince – you can have the entire Fortress to yourself. But you have to kill me first."

"I'll do so easily," Ren shook his head. "You foolish Hylian. We Gerudo are so much smarter than you. So much better."

"Oh, really?" I asked. "Then why is my sword at your throat?"

And that was when Ren realized that I had him right where I wanted him. He could brag all he wanted, but I had him cornered.

"Kill me, Hylian," Ren spat at me. "Just kill me like the murderer you are."

"The murderer I am?" I questioned sarcastically.

"Link, just end him, please – I literally can't deal with his talk," Sheik pleaded. "It's hurting my head, I swear!"

"Yes, the murderer you are, Link," Ren laughed. He laughed in the face of death.

His words entered my mind and stayed there – they were all I could focus on, and he kept on repeating them: "You're a murderer, Link. If you kill me, you'll just add one more person to your kill list."

So I couldn't do it – I stood there, frozen, unable to do anything with my sword to Ren's throat.

"And here I was thinking you'd actually be able to do something for once in your life, Link," Ren shook his head before knocking the Master Sword out of my hands and bringing his scimitar up to my own throat. "See? You're not only a murderer, but you're a coward too."

"Link, what the heck is wrong with you?!" Sheik screamed in my head.

I was paralyzed.

I could see the tip of Ren's scimitar closely approaching my neck, nicking at my skin. Yet I still couldn't move!

That was when an arrow whizzed out of nowhere, entering Ren's dark heart.

Zelda.

I'd thought that I had to save her life, but she, in turn, saved my own.

"Link, run!" she screamed as another Gerudo came at me with her saber at the ready.

Ducking, I rolled away, shooting my legs out and catching the Gerudo warrior off-guard. Leaping to my feet, I joined Zelda as she surveyed the battlefield, picking off certain Gerudo who were fighting our friends. I could see Kron, Zilla, and Impa battling in a circle, covering for Nabooru and Relena who were making their way back to the forest near the Castle.

I hoped that Nabila, Aziz, and Darron were able to remain safe in that hidden grove with the horses, who, right now, were our only ways of escape.

Marine was sobbing in the middle of the battlefield, holding Aqua's dead body. Cove was dead from what I could tell, killed by the girl he'd betrayed.

The Triforce on my left hand began burning, itching, and I finally saw the second triangle that was highlighted on it. I was now the possessor of the Triforces of Power and Courage...

Zelda caught my gaze before nodding curtly. Her Triforce was also glowing, and we joined hands.

Then I suddenly realized how all the fighting had stopped. The Gerudo just stood there, watching me – and Zelda.

Sheik slipped out of my shadow into his sister's, and we both tried to run as quickly as possible to where our group was, headed for the forest grove.

It was eerie, however, because of the fact that the Gerudo simply stared at us unblinkingly, and I realized that I'd killed many of my kin. I'd killed members of my family. The weight of that was unbearable, and tears began slipping down my cheeks as I gathered small Nabila into my embrace.

"Is it over, Link?" she questioned, her little voice wavering as sobs shook her body. She'd obviously witnessed everything that had happened.

Smoothing her hair carefully, I nodded, whispering into her ear, "It's over, Nabila – It's finally over." And I felt dirty, touching someone as innocent and childlike as Nabila.

A group had been formed around us as we were all sobered, remembering those who'd died, both good and bad, including Marine's beloved twin, Aqua.

"You've done it, Link," an unknown masculine voice said. "You've done what you were born to do."

"We're so proud of you," another voice, more feminine than the last, added, "son..."

I lifted my head to look at the newcomers. "Who are you...?"

"Son," the woman said, moving toward me, her arms open wide.

I glanced at Zelda and Sheik, and they both nodded and smiled at me. Moving forward, as though in a dream, I released Nabila and stepped into the warm embrace of my mother, Kirstin Adema, and met the crystal clear blue eyes of Reneer Adema, my father.

 **Total Word Count:**

 **1,044**


	22. Epilogue

**So, after about a year and a month of my blood, sweat, and tears... this... is finally over. Oh my gosh, writing this was so bittersweet... I loved and enjoyed writing this so much, and I'm so sad that it's over now...**

 **This has I believe almost 100,000 words and is about 200 pages long so congratulations to whoever has completed this and made it this far! I'm sorry, haha, just this is the first book/piece of real writing that I've ever completed, and just the feels, man!**

 **Expect new work in the very near future as well! This chapter in my writing career is over, but there's so much more to come! ^_^**

 **This is dedicated to ALL of my readers, voters, peeps who comment, all of you guys! Because you all helped me make it to this moment right now X)**

 **So, please read and review because, like always, I'm a tired person, haha. 3 LOVE! 3**

 **NOTE - I won't be posting anymore work here on so please follow me over on Wattpad at Princess-Zel . X)**

 **Always,**

 **~Zel**

I look out at the sand surrounding me before turning to my sister, Nabooru, and her husband, Aziz. Nabooru is armed with her twin scimitars and has a satisfied expression on her face as Aziz lovingly cradles their year old daughter, Serenity – my niece. As the new leader of the Gerudo, I'm meeting with the king of Hyrule in order to discuss the terms of our peace treaty.

Nabooru, as my second-in-command, has agreed to join us so we're a complete team: me, Nabs, and Aziz.

And, at my side, stands the little girl I've adopted as some kind of little sister/daughter combination, Nabila. At the knowledgeable age of fourteen, she's also come along with us to learn more of our culture.

The newly crowned king of Hyrule is kind and full of new ideas to help create a better future: one without discrimination of race or color. He's been extremely open to any ideas I offer or bring to the table, listening to them all and considering how they might be placed within our treaty.

Yet, even though I try to think of the king as the king, I can't help but think of him as my dear friend, Sheik. And that's who he wishes to be, I believe. Not some stuffy old king but someone relatable – Sheik, the shadow native to light, the Hylian who somehow had the ability to slip into the shadows.

Upon the death of his father and older brother, at age 27, Sheik claimed the Hyrulean throne. He's brought about worlds of good to Hyrule and has been working toward making Hyrule a better place.

By his side stands his younger sister, Princess Zelda, now aged twenty-two. Her left hand now glitters because of a diamond placed on her ring finger, and I can't help but make eye contact with her every now and then while Sheik and I continue working out the details of our peace treaty.

As we talk, I can't help but think of all the dear friends I'd made on my journey – we've all gone separate ways but still manage to keep in touch or visit every once in a while.

Marine – after the death of her twin sister, she returned to the Zora's Domain, and her heartbroken father no longer had seven daughters – he had six. He forbade the Wanderers to ever leave the Domain ever again. Marine has never gotten over the bitter betrayal of her deceased lover, Cove.

Impa, Kron, and Zilla returned to Kakariko Village where Kron continued our tradition of chasing cuccos around and having the cuccos chase him back. Kron and Zilla finally married and are expecting their first child imminently. Impa still visits Hyrule Castle every now and then and ruffles Sheik's hair or smacks his head to help him focus. She's very excited for the nearing approach of her first grandchild's birth.

Darron also returned to his father, Darunia, who was overjoyed to see him alive. He's since visited me at the Gerudo Fortress twice and has enjoyed it very much, with the exception of the fact that there are very few rocks in the Desert.

Sheik and I still sometimes get together to go visit Saria and the East Woods Skull Kids. They always enjoy it when Sheik and I share a lyre and ocarina duet before they join us on their flutes.

My fairy, Rota, has actually stuck around, and she's constantly badgering me about how things should be done within the Fortress – we all joke around by saying that she's the true boss around here.

Nabila has blossomed into a very sweet young lady and is now working in the Fortress infirmary. She's also been catching the eyes of the few young men at our Fortress. I suppose I'll have to be a firmer big brother/father figure because I can't have them asking for her hand in marriage yet. (One of them actually has, yet I told him to go or else I'd unleash a flock of cuccos on him.) She's far too young to be worrying about such things.

Relena has begun healing from her imprisonment by Ren, and it seems that Sheik has taken notice of her in new ways as well. I suppose there'll be another wedding on the horizon after mine and Zelda's. Hyrule hopefully won't be lacking an heir by the time Relena and Sheik finally realize their obvious feelings for one another.

My father and mother have moved to the Fortress in order to try to be close to me, and they've since become two of my best friends in the entire world. I can only wish that they'd been able to see me grow up into who I am today, but I know that I am who I am today in part because of my evil adoptive father, Ganondorf.

Still, they're wonderful to me now, trying to make up for lost years and giving me whatever advice they have to offer.

The Gerudo accepted me as their leader, much to my surprise after Ganondorf's demise. They laid aside their weapons when they could have continued against me; they acknowledged me as their rightful ruler. That honored me beyond imagination because I finally felt like a true Gerudo, regardless of my Hylian heritage and light skin.

No matter how many lives I've taken and how much I feel like a monster sometimes, I feel this lightness in my heart – like I'm where I'm supposed to be. And that's a satisfying feeling to me.

As we wrap up the terms to our peace treaty, we both stand and shake hands before and after signing our names on the paper.

"That's it?" I question.

Sheik nods, "I think that's it."

I breathe in deeply before repeating, "That's it."

Nabila beams, "With this treaty, now we, the Gerudo, and you, the Hylians, are family." Her tones are more mature than two years ago, and I know that that's not the only thing that's changed in the past two years.

My two Triforce pieces glow brighter, and I nod in firm confirmation, "Yes, we're family."

Given the go ahead from Sheik, Zelda crosses over to where I'm located and wraps her arms around me. Nabila is all smiles, and Sheik looks proud as he surveys the final product of our time together, the completed treaty.

Nabooru lays down her scimitars before accepting her baby as my niece begins to cry for her mother. Aziz wraps an arm around his wife as well, looking upon his small family fondly.

"I'm proud of you, Link – we're going to be able to heal together," Zelda whispers into my tunic.

This causes me to smile as well, "I'm proud of us, Zelda." Our Triforce pieces begin to glow even brighter. I nudge her slightly as we both look into the blue sky above us.

Two birds, one crimson and one a blue-ish purple, soar through the sky, making dazzling swoops and twists as they fly together, always with the other and never alone.

 **Total Word Count:**

 **1,172**


End file.
